With Honey and Venom
by Blue Goddess Fyre
Summary: What hast thou done to me, Girl, with the dream in thine eyes? Brightened the sun to me, Lightened the skies Made there be one to me, One only sun to me Not in the skies... Ses X OC On hiatus until further notice.
1. I

**With Honey and Venom**

"What hast thou done to me,

Girl, with the dream in thing eyes?

Brightened the sun to me,

Lightened the skies;

Made there be one to me,

One only sun to me

Not in the skies.

What hast thou done to me,

Girl, with the dream in thing eyes?

Darkened the sun to me,

Blackened the skies;

Made there be none to me,

Nor star nor sun to me,

Only black skies."

-"Et Melle Et Felle," _Anonymous_

_What prompts people to fall in love? Is there truly such an emotion so vivid as to allow two different people to come together and care for one another so deeply as to be monogamous? _

_In my experience, there is no such thing; lust is the only factor in any relationship, and it depends solely on the strength of it to determine whether the two are monogamous or not. So far, there has never been a monogamous couple. The man will stray eventually, seeking out other bed-partners._

_Love has never existed in any relationship._

* * *

I...Down the Rabbit Hole of Darkness

* * *

"This cannot be...this is all wrong!" I screeched, looking at the long list of calculations, trying to find where I erred. I ignored the strange looks I received from the others surrounding my window seat on the airplane (they were mostly Japs, anyway). Having to wait several years to earn enough money for my extended stay in Japan was hard enough, but if my calculations were wrong, then I wouldn't have enough yen for a proper room at an inn, even if it was in the country. "No, no... I can't be wrong!" Worriedly, I went back to the beginning, the over-worked calculator whirring away with the numbers I punched in methodically, carefully. Two, three, four times I checked the math, but they all came to the same conclusion: I wasn't going to have enough. "Crap... I won't have enough money for a hotel room..." I sighed dejectedly, leaning forward to thump my head against the lapboard I had brought with me, favoring it over the airplane supplied ones that were only used to eat meals on.

"Excuse me, miss," my seatmate said, leaning over. He was an old Japanese man, a grandfatherly sort, but small, wizened and...well, balding. He looked like he should be wearing some sort priestly robes, but instead he was wearing a suit-like ensemble, without the jacket.

Blinking, I shook myself away from my habit to over-analyze my surroundings and particularly the people, and focused on the old man. "Yes, jiji-sama?" I queried in Japanese, deciding I'd better brush up on my conversational skills if I was to survive this trip.

He smiled at me kindly, patting my hand, obviously pleased that I was attempting to speak to him in his native language. "I heard about your money troubles," he said, making thump my head against the lapboard again. He chuckled and continued, "If I might be so bold as to suggest something to you, miss?"

Whining low in my throat, I sat up and then slumped in my seat, nodding for him to continue. How much worse could my life get at this point? First I'd had to struggle through high school before breezing through college, then earning my stupid degree in mythology and ancient history took too long, and now the money I had saved up for this excursion was dwindling too fast. Geez...

"If you would be willing to work, I could put you up for room and board at my family's shrine," he said, drawing my attention. I dared hope... "Since my old bones are failing me and my grandchildren have no interest in keeping the grounds in top shape."

I knew it... I'd be a live-in housekeeper for the old geezer, with the added "bonus" of being a shrine maiden. Just my fucking luck. Trying not to let the slumping of my shoulders warn him of exactly how I felt about the situation, I pasted on a fake smile. "Oh! That'd be so wonderful if you would, sir! And a shrine! Is it Shinto? Oh, this would be so cool, since I do have a degree in mythology and ancient history, but I must say that ancient Japanese mythology and history interests me the most at this point in time," I exclaimed excitedly. Okay, so I was lying; working at a shrine would be pretty cool, considering my choice of major. But still, I'm lazy, and I don't think that even the enemy or rival of the shrine deserved my attendance.

Instead, the old man smiled and clapped his hands. "Alright, then, miss. You can call me Higurashi-ji-san. And what shall I call you?"

I paused, the old paranoia my mother had instilled in me when I was so young rising to the fore. I beat it back down, smiling kindly at the man as I held out my hand. "My name is...Adele." And our bargain was struck.

_A drum beats in the darkness..._

After the plane had landed and Higurashi-ji-san and I waited about an hour for his daughter to come pick us up, I arrived at my tentative home for the next…six months, according to my visa. At around half that time, I would re-evaluate my decision to live here and then, if I still wanted to go through with it, would attempt to find a more permanent residence.

Higurashi-ji-san's daughter, Takako-san, was a beautiful woman with short black hair, shorter then my bobbed hairstyle. Of course, my Nordic genes just _had_ to make me about a foot taller than the older woman, but that didn't seem to bother her in the slightest, nor had it bothered Higurashi-ji-san, who was bent with age and even shorter than Takako-san.

The drive to the Sunset Shrine had been uneventful, but when we arrived and I took my meager baggage out of the trunk and offered to carry the old man's, a young boy came running down the stairs, calling happily to Takako-san, who wrapped him in her arms as soon as he reached our small group.

"Souta!" Takako-san was saying, releasing him and motioning for me to come over. "This young woman will be living with us for a few months helping Otou-san around the shrine."

Seeing my cue in the woman's gaze, I hurried forward and offered the little boy my hand, bending my knees so I didn't loom over him so much. "Hi there, Souta-kun," I smiled. "My name is Adele. It's very nice to meet you."

He stared up at me curiously, probably wondering how a girl could be so tall (I'm very self-conscious about my height; ever since my boyfriend broke up with me for being five inches taller than him, I haven't been able to find a single date. Go figure). He then turned his head to his mother and asked, "Does she know about Inuyasha?"

Of it's own accord, my left eyebrow sank over my eye, the other shooting nearly into my hairline in my confusion. Who or what was Inuyasha?

"We haven't told her yet, dear," Takako-san told him, patting him on the head. She then looked at me and winked conspiratorially. "We'll just wait until he gets here to introduce the two of them."

I didn't know what the conspiratorially wink was for, but I guess I would have to wait to find out who this "Inuyasha" person was. Shaking my head at the antic of the two, I lifted my small carpetbag higher onto my shoulder, grasped the three suitcases Higurashi-ji-san had, and started to scale the steep stone steps leading to the shrine. The Higurashi family was climbing the steps before me, quietly talking amongst themselves, making me feel so wonderfully left out. I didn't like being the center of anybody's attention; I think it gave me rashes…or it caused my eczema to flare up, I can't remember which.

The steps were steep and the shrine pretty high up, almost as high as the nosebleed seats I'd once bought for a basketball game. Unfortunately, my nose doesn't bleed and my ears don't pop (it'd been hell on the plane because of that). I was panting for breath by the time I reached the top of the stairs, the weight of whatever was in the three suitcases tiring my muscles faster than any weight training I'd ever done before. I walked the last twenty or so feet to the main house, nearly collapsing under the weight of the suitcases, and finally deposited the heavy burdens just inside the door, groaning and rubbing my aching shoulders.

"You alright, dear?" Takako-san asked me, coming from the general vicinity of what I supposed was the kitchen. She smiled at my look of pain, obviously knowing how heavy the damn bags were.

"Yeah, I'll be fine once I put on an Icy-Hot patch," I grumbled in English, waving off her confused look. Clearly, the woman hadn't learned English, well, at least not the kind of English I grew up speaking, which was actually Tex-Mex, a mixture of English and Spanish. In Japanese, I told her, "I said I'll be okay. I just haven't worked my muscles so much in a long time; once you reach a certain number of pounds in weight training, virtually you can do anything."

She nodded and smiled, motioning for me to follow her, saying, "I'll show you which room is yours, Adele-san. It was originally used as storage for my father's numerous antiques, but we'll move those out as soon as we do some "spring cleaning" in the storage shed." Takako-san showed me into a room that was only a fourth of the size of the one I'd had back at my mother's house, but for some odd reason I had always loved tight, enclosed spaces such as the room I was now given. The antiques she had mentioned were all lined up, neatly stacked, along one wall, and I noticed that there was a window that look out into the back of the shrine, toward a largish tree in the surrounding foliage. The carpet was threadbare, but I didn't care. It certainly felt like home to me. "I hope you like it," she said.

"I don't _just _like it! I love it, Takako-san," I clapped happily, dropping my carpetbag near the door, walking in to take a closer look. Yup, this place would suit me perfectly. The less useless modern amenities, the better, I always say. Heh; some of my school friends predicted that if left to my own devices, my house would be as small as possible with only a blanket, pillow, phone, and a tiny, practically non-existent kitchen. They were right, but it had helped me save a lot of money in college and afterward as I prepared for this trip.

"Well, I'm glad you like it so much, Adele-san. Lunch will be ready in a few minutes, and afterward my father will show you what your duties will be around the shrine," she said, smiling softly before departing, leaving me to make myself at home.

A sense of relief washed over me, and I started moving about the room, locating the sleeping mat and setting it up in the corner nearest the window, the side without the antiques. I dug around in my carpetbag and took out the only modern amenities I had sworn to never go without (well, at least my mom had made me swear), which included: my cell phone, now with a worldwide service uplink, a hairbrush (I swear I got an afro after sleeping on wet hair), a small shaving knife (I couldn't stand razors: they gave me rashes), a small bottle of shampoo/body wash combo, and of course a change of underwear. I wasn't _so_ money conscious to _not_ have at least _something_ to change into when my first set of underclothes got dirty. Of course, I hadn't expected to have so little money left over from my plane ticket to not be able to buy clothes, so I was now stuck with the set I wore, and could only hope the Higurashi family would be kind enough to lend me something to wear when I washed my clothes.

After setting out all of the personal possessions I'd brought with me, I glanced at the antiques and shrugged off going through them like the curious cat in me wanted to do. So, I went over to the window and looked outside, admiring the beauty of the shrine's landscaping. Absolutely breathtaking.

"Adele-san," Souta-kun called, knocking on the door that led into my new room. "Mom says that lunch is ready, so you should come and eat before Jiji-san shows you about the shrine."

I nodded to the little boy and stood, following him out the door and down the stairs. Lunch was as uneventful as the car ride, except for the fact that we had something very delicious they called "oden". I had a suspicion it contained vegetables, or some other stuff I didn't like, but I ate the stuff anyway, to show my respect for them making me something to eat.

Afterward, Higurashi-ji-san showed me about the shrine, telling me what I would do each day starting tomorrow morning. My duties would begin before the sun rose and end after the sun set, which pleased me in an odd sort of way. Working from before dawn until after dusk: seemed a pretty even trade for giving me a room and feeding me.

What really got me, though, was the fact that Higurashi-ji-san would provide the shrine maiden clothing for me, since he had mentioned something about "keeping up appearances". I had no clue what he meant by that, but the new clothes would mean that the ones I'd worn on the plane would be nice and clean most of the time.

After the tour, though, he paused in front of an old-looking shed-like construction, motioning me over. From his expression, I gathered that I should avoid this place at all costs. He didn't say anything for a long moment, and then he turned and told me that I could explore the grounds now, or I could go back inside the house and rest and get rid of the jet lag he was sure I was going to get.

He predicted correctly, because as soon as I started toward the house, the jet lag hit and I started yawning. Even though nighttime was my best time of day, I hadn't slept for… at least twenty hours. I went back inside the house and muttered a "good night" to the Higurashi family, going straight to my room. I set the alarm hurriedly, and then went to my bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was dead to the world.

_A drum beats in the darkness..._

I awoke to darkness and my alarm shrieking at me to wake up, and I confusedly reached for it, switching it off, before rolling over. As soon as one of the antiques fell on my stomach, however, I knew where I was and why my alarm had gone off so fucking early in the morning. I carefully extracted an antique dragon statue from it's perch on my stomach, rubbing the spot while I muttered incoherently. I dressed in the shrine maiden set Takako-san must have placed in my room while I was asleep and carefully packed away my precious normal clothing. I exited the room, intent on my daily hygiene ritual, and then was nearly out the door of the main house when I suddenly noticed how frigidly cold it was. 

"Dammit it all," I muttered angrily, turning on my heel and taking the stairs two at a time to grab my jeans and long-sleeve double-tee (a kind of t-shirt over a long-sleeved shirt) and placed them beneath the hakama and haori I wore. Nice and toasty beneath the double-layer of clothing, I exited my room, went down the stairs, and exited the house. The Higurashi family was still asleep, as it was only about 4:30 AM. My grandmother had been an early sleeper and early riser, but I had to use my alarm to get me up at these odds hours, less I sleep in until it was way past midday.

I started my chores eagerly, humming to myself in the off-key voice I knew could never be taught to properly sing (although I was very good at Japanese ballads, kind of like a ballad, except in Japanese). I swept the steps leading to the shrine, not an easy task, and set up the booth where Higurashi-ji-san would sell his charms and such, and continued to sweep the rest of the shrine. By the time I got near the building I was too avoid, the sun had already rose and the Higurashi's were all up and about, and the shrine was just getting it's first few visitors of the day. 

Yawning, I paused before the building and stared at it a moment. Since I was already half-done with my chores, I thought I'd take a break and see why this place was so foreboding. I slid open the door and peered into the darkness. Stairs led down to an area in which what looked like a well was situated. I slid the door closed behind myself and descended the steps, trailing a hand over the roughened wood of the well lip. I peered down.

"**_BRING!_**"

Startled by the sudden break in the silence, I jumped, my cell phone jumping out of it's inner pocket and flying through the air after sneaking out from between the folds of the haori. I attempted to snatch it through the air, but it fell with a clunk into the well. I didn't hear a splash, so I figured it must be a dry well. I looked around, then down the well, seeing the glowing light of my cell as it faded away, the caller giving up on reaching me. I sighed, looked around again, and sighed in relief when I spied the rope ladder that led into the well. I carefully climbed onto the well lip and placed my sandaled feet on the ladder rungs, descending very carefully. I liked wall climbing as much as the next person, but a rope ladder would scare even the mightiest of rock climbers, I'm sure.

The phone lit up again, and I groaned. However, the annoying ring-tone I had set on it didn't start up, and I made the mistake of looking down…into a void of opalescent nothingness. "What the hell!" Startled, my eyes wide, I attempted to shield my eyes from the bright light.

And thusly, I let go of the rope ladder and fell into the light.

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

**Post Scriptum Author Notes: **I came up with the story's name of "Et Melle Et Felle" while reading the poem I wrote down at the top. I found it in a very old book my mother had bought for a quarter at a book fair (!), which had turned out to be over a hundred years old by 1996. The poem was written by an anonymous person (most likely dead by now laugh), so I can't give credit where credit is due, so I'll just say that I found it in the book "Love's Demesne, Volume One", compiled by a Mr. Ellwanger. So, anyways… I don't know why, but I liked the name Adele. I don't know if it's supposed to be a dude's name or what, but it seemed to fit the main character so well. Also, I am aware that this type of fanfiction isn't that popular, but at least one review would make me very happy to go on (or, if not, I'll just continue writing it for the sheer enjoyment of it). So…I guess this is the official end of chapter one of "With Honey and Venom" (loosely translated, of course), and I hoped you liked it. (Also, I just might answer review questions if anyone has them. Otherwise…) Tootles for now. 


	2. II

**With Honey and Venom**

"What hast thou done to me,

Girl, with the dream in thing eyes?

Brightened the sun to me,

Lightened the skies;

Made there be one to me,

One only sun to me

Not in the skies.

What hast thou done to me,

Girl, with the dream in thing eyes?

Darkened the sun to me,

Blackened the skies;

Made there be none to me,

Nor star nor sun to me,

Only black skies."

-"Et Melle Et Felle," _Anonymous_

_What prompts people to fall in love? Is there truly such an emotion so vivid as to allow two different people to come together and care for one another so deeply as to be monogamous?_

_In my experience, there is no such thing; lust is the only factor in any relationship, and it depends solely on the strength of it to determine whether the two are monogamous or not. So far, there has never been a monogamous couple. The man will stray eventually, seeking out other bed-partners._

_Love has never existed in any relationship.

* * *

_

II...Be Careful What You Wish for

* * *

The sunlight streaming into the well was what roused me first, and I groggily answered the demonic call before it burnt out my eyes through the lids. I looked up, lifting a hand that felt like it weighed a ton to shield my eyes. I didn't know what had happened, or even where I was, but the last thing I did remember was that I had been climbing down a well to retrieve my lost cell phone...and there had been a roof over the well. "What the...hell?" I asked aloud, wincing at the dry scratching of my vocal cords. Then I remembered I hadn't eaten since...well, I hadn't eaten breakfast before starting my chores, and I had no idea what time of day it was, or even what day. This started to freak me out, but being the rational, logical person I was--

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!"

Okay, so I kind of panicked. But, hey, who wouldn't? I mean, come on! I was in a WELL for god's sakes! Sheesh... So, after screaming my lungs out and scrambling to right myself (I had landed in an uncomfortable heap at the bottom, my head wedged in a corner while my right leg was tucked under my bottom and my arms spread out along two adjoining sides), I stretched my arms out to the sides, holding myself stationary as my legs did the same. I started to walk up the sides of the well, breathing hard at the strain it caused my crotch; I was never good at doing the splits, and this incident just reinforced my determination to avoid it at all costs.

So, after reaching the well's lip, I used my meager upper-body strength to haul myself out, cold fear washing over me for a moment when my legs dangled, and then I was up and over the side, tumbling into the tall grass beside the well. "Safe," I murmured, laying a hand on my chest, just above my breasts. My heart beat wildly under my hand, and I closed my eyes to attempt to slow it down.

After a minute or so, I opened my eyes and stared at the intense blue sky, wondering aloud to myself, "What...happened to me? Where...am...I? Why...why is the sky so blue?" Of their own accord, my eyes closed once more, and my mind drifted in nothingness, seeking out...something...

Gasping, my eyes jerked open and I scrambled to the left, flipping over and over. I landed on my back as a spray of dirt rained down upon me, and I looked up. Disbelievingly, I rose shakily to my feet, standing in front of a giant that dwarfed even my own six foot-four frame. That wasn't all: it was an ogre! "What the hell!"

"I sense a great soul within you," the beast growled in Japanese, the words barely discernable. "I shall rip that soul right out of you and devour the rest!"

Shrieking, I raced for the nearby tree line, my leg muscles pumping hard, but my weight slowed me down (stupid weight training...). "I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die!" I chanted to myself (in English, as I always reverted back to in instances like these). "Oh, freaking hell!"

"Get back here, meal!"

I tripped on something, flew through the air a moment, and landed with a heavy thud against a tree, my head knocking solidly against it. Dizzied for a moment, I stood and swayed, my vision going in and out. The beast advanced on me at an accelerated rate, seeming to double the distance every time I blinked. I probably had a concussion, no thanks to my previous fall in the well. Seeing my death in his beady little red eyes, I ducked and tried to make myself as small as possible, my hands gripping the back of my neck to protect it, so I had at least a slim chance of survival if he didn't sever my spine or if by some miracle missed me. "Oh, please, ancient gods, if I ever needed you now, I need you now!" I prayed, tears of fear and panic blurring my vision, eyes still wide as adrenaline pumped through my veins.

A loud roar filled my ears, and I hurriedly shut my eyes, feeling the Grim Reaper breathe down my neck, the hairs standing on end. I didn't want to die right here like this: so coward, running from a fight, and I hadn't even had sex yet!

Five minutes passed as I waited there, consciousness fazing in and out, shivering like a cornered rodent, and adrenaline pumping through my veins urging me to fight back, or at least flee. When the ten-minute mark passed (I'd been counting in my head), I cautiously raised my gaze, blinking when nothing moved to gobble me up. I uncurled, standing, and looked down at the fallen ogre. It lay less than ten feet from me, but it was obviously dead, the broken log sticking up like a flag of victory from it's back.

Blinking, the sweat from my running excursion cooling in the small of my back, I edged closer to the body, prodding it with one sandaled foot. When it did not move, a smile bloomed over my face. The gods had answered my prayers!

Still happily not watching where I was going, I headed back toward the well, wondering if I could find some sort of civilization nearby, when I tripped…in the exact same spot that had caused me to trip when I'd been running from the ogre. After I picked myself up from the ground, sure I had several more cuts in embarrassing places, I glanced near my feet, wondering what sort of stupid rock had tripped me.

A glinting something greeted my gaze, sticking up out of the ground near the ogre's feet. So, it had tripped on the same thing I had? What a clumsy goof, I laughed to myself bending down to pick up whatever it was. When I had cleared it away from the dirt and grass of the ground (it was stuck in there, though I had no clue as to how), I beheld a wonderful item: a torque, like something a rich lady in the Dark Ages would wear with a low-necked gown. It was breathtakingly magnificent, along with the purple crescent-moon shaped pendant tangling from tiny metal links crafted into the torque.

"Wow. You're a damn lucky piece of fine metal," I told it in English, smiling. It was a gift from the gods, I decided, and then looked down, examining it closer. It looked solid at first, but when I pulled at it on either side of the pendant, it separated in the back. It didn't like it had any clasp, or a hinge in the front; was it a bendable metal? It's couldn't be gold, since it had a pure silvery shine to it. Curiously, I put it around my neck, closing both sides around my neck, my fingers dancing around the small strip of bare skin it left. I sighed in exasperation, having hoped it would fit around my neck, but obviously my neck muscles were too thick to fit around. Stupid neck.

"Oh well," I muttered. "I could always go and get a claps welded onto it." My fingers reached back to take it off, but where there once was a strip of bare skin, there was now only cold metal. "Uh…" I felt all around the back of my neck, but I couldn't find the opening. I even searched the front of the torque, but the opening had seemingly… "Vanished… Shit," I sighed, "This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder. I'm too damn tired of all this weird shit happening…"

And so saying thusly, I started my search for civilization, feeling a bit choked from the collar-like torque, and still bruised from my encounter with the…demon… "Crap. Demons…are real!"

_A drum beats in the darkness…_

The gods were taunting me, I was sure of it. Back home, you couldn't trust _anything_ in nature, the soil and water were so polluted. Back home, water came in bottles, pre-treated and bacteria-free. Hell, back home, you couldn't even trust a fresh spring from under ground! So…why was I contemplating drinking out of a fresh cold spring that was bubbling up from the surface? Stupid gods, I murmured in my mind, poking the bubbling surface of the water. It seemed clean enough, since there were no nasty murky-brown particles in it, but I didn't want some amoeba floating around in my stomach trying to get me sick for swallowing it.

"If I get sick," I said to the ancient gods if they were listening, "this is all your fault. You shoulda known I would try and drink this stuff since I'm so damn thirsty." With that, I reached both my hands under the surface and brought them up, the clear, sparkling water just begging to be swallowed, and I lowered my face, ready to drink…and started choking.

Gasping for air, I released the water, falling on to my rear-end, my hands reaching up to the torque to try and release the pressure on my neck. If I didn't know better, and I did, I would've sworn right then and there someone had a leash on me! But, the weird thing was, as soon as I had released the water from my palms, the choking sensation had lessened until it was just no more than a slight twinge if I turned my neck too swiftly.

"Okay…" I pronounced slowly, carefully. I thought perhaps that maybe, just maybe, the ancient gods _had_ heard me and were getting a tad too vengeful. "I really didn't mean to put the blame at your door, o' merciful gods." To make doubly sure they wouldn't continue their harassment of me, I sent up a quick homage to them, then turned to try and attempt another drink. And the same thing happened. "Okay… What's going on here?"

Clasping my hands together, I tapped the intertwined fingers against my lips, thinking. Experimentally, I put my hands in the water again, lifting them out cupped and filled with the sparkling water. When I brought it to my lips, the chokehold started again. I moved my hands away from my mouth, and the choking sensation lessened. I brought my hands lose again and it started again. So…it was the collar-torque that was causing the choking sensation? I wondered why…

Sighing, I instead used the water to drench my head, the collar allowing me at least that much. The cold liquid slid down the back of my neck and beneath the collar, cooling down the heated flesh. Metal was not something to wear if you were already wearing two layers of clothing in a warm environment. This kind of perplexed me, since it had been almost freezing when I had woken up, before falling down the well that is.

Ah, oh well, I thought to myself, rising to stand and turning away from the water, no matter how much my throat ached for the liquid. It would just have to deal with spittle and phlegm for now.

I continued on my search for civilization, mentally marking the path to the spring in my mind, just in case I could get water from the stupid thing at a later date or time. It would be something to look forward to, that water was. I stumbled across the forest floor, shivering in the shadows and sweating in the sun patches alternately, wondering how I could survive such an environment if the temperatures kept going to the extremes. I mean, I'd grown up in a relatively hot and humid place, but it wasn't like the desert or the beach. I'd suffered the winters, but the shadows in the forest were way colder then the worst winter back home.

Pausing to lean my back against a tree, I closed my eyes, letting my senses drift and mind wander. I was tired and still sleepy from that evil thing known as jet lag. My leg muscles were cramping, my throat pulsing and dry, and the beginnings of a headache were forming just behind my eyes.

This was exactly when I felt a presence nearby. It had been like last time with the ogre demon, that little sixth sense that let me know danger was coming. So, I was a little closer to my animal side then most people were, but that had saved my life, so I wasn't complaining. But whatever this new presence was, it didn't seem hostile like the ogre had.

So, cautiously, I peeked one eye open, peering through the lashes to see what had caused my animal sense to twinge. I saw nothing, so I opened both eyes and started to look around. "Hello?" I called out carefully, not wanting to draw too much attention if the thing _did_ turn out to be hostile, but still wanting to know if a sentient being was there and would be kind enough to point me in the direction of any nearby civilization and a precious and very much needed bathroom.

"Why do you wear my collar, wench?"

I whirled around, catching a glimpse of silver and gold before a hand went around my neck, pushing me against the tree I had previously used as a resting post. I winced as the chokehold began anew, making my dry throat even more painful. My eyes were scrunched tight, and it took me a moment to realize this, and by the time I had opened my eyes, the hand that held my throat was tightening.

I gasped for air, the personification of beauty standing right before me having effectively knocked what little breath I'd had. Gorgeous, long, silky straight and smooth hair drew my gaze first, my fingers itching to dance through the locks. Then my eyes met his, and I swore my mouth started watering: the sheer golden magnificence of his gaze made me want to weep with the beauty of it.

"Answer, human, less you have a death wish," he said, his perfectly sculpted lips lulling me as if he were a snake charming a mouse.

I blinked, then drew my consciousness together, thinking it must've been the concussion I'd gotten earlier. Drawing in a breath before speaking, I took one more peek at this beautiful creature, and then spoke the words that sealed my fate: "It saved me from getting eaten by a demon."

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

**Post Scriptum Author's Note:** Yeah, I know: the uberly cheesiness of the whole thing. A little reminiscent of Kagome's beginning in the feudal era, except it's now perfect with the epitome of perfection. Bet you can't guess who! Anyways, I'll explain a few bits first: I didn't mention Adele grabbing her cell phone originally because, well, she wasn't supposed to have it in the first place. But, it seemed like the perfect thing to draw her down the well (since, sometimes, my phone lights up without the annoying ring tone sounding). So, yeah… Oh, and I finally looked up the name, and it turns out Adele really _is_ a girl's name, just German in origin. But since Adele is of Nordic descent, it's not going to be her _real_ name. Notice that in the first chapter I put that she said, "My name is…Adele." The pause meant something. The reason why she chose to be called Adele is because her real name is just embarrassing. I mean, come on: who would want to be named "Winifred"? So, yeah, enough of my ramblings (review, damn you all!). Ehehe… Just kidding. Hope you liked chapter two, and special thanks to **Lexia Riddle** for being the first reviewer. 


	3. III

**With Honey and Venom**  
"What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Brightened the sun to me,  
Lightened the skies;  
Made there be one to me,  
One only sun to me Not in the skies. 

What hast thou done to me,  
Girl with the dream in thine eyes?  
Darkened the sun to me,  
Blackened the skies;  
Made there be none to me,  
Nor star nor sun to me,  
Only black skies"  
-"Et Melle Et Felle," _Anonymous_

_What prompts people to fall in love? Is there truly such an emotion so vivid as to allow two different people to come together and care for one another so deeply as to be monogamous?_

_In my experience, there is no such thing; lust is the only factor in any relationship, and it depends solely on the strength of it to determine whether the two are monogamous or not. So far, there has never been a monogamous couple. The man will stray eventually, seeking out other bed-partners._

_Love has never existed in any relationship._

* * *

III...The Nightmare Lullaby

* * *

The gods are having a laugh at my expense, this time I was absolutely positive. I mean, come on! Who else but the gods would make sure my money supply ran out faster than expected, offer me a job as a shrine maiden, send a demon to almost kill me, and then toss out a pretty torque that they just _knew_ I would _have_ to try on? Man...those gods've got me pegged pretty good...damn. 

But, yea, all that really paled in the significance of what the silvery collar _meant_. I really wouldn't have put the torque on if I'd known beforehand, but that's exactly what those vindictive gods wanted: me not knowing the significance.

So, there I was, sitting beside a roaring fire with a coldness inside that couldn't be warmed, not even with the double layer of clothing I wore. In fact, the cuteness of the little girl yammering on in Japanese right beside me couldn't warm me. Why?

Because I'd just found out that the stupid effin' collar made me a demon's whore.

Why, gods? _Why_? What had I done to deserve this? Well, other than a few stuff back in my childhood...but I was a kid then! I didn't know better! I guess this is what I get for wracking up bad karma.

"Neh, Onee-chan?" The little Japanese girl was looking up at my face, practically halfway in my lap. Her big brown eyes looked pleadingly at me, and I wonder what she'd asked.

"Uhhh...what was that again? I'm afraid I didn't catch what you said," I said, feeling a tad embarrassed for spacing out in front of a little girl. I loved children, just not when they annoyed me.

"Rin wants to know if you can sing her a lullaby!"

I blinked: a lullaby? Oh all the things to ask for, why a lullaby? "Uhh...why?" I asked most intelligently, trying to ignore the searing glare that was trying to pierce a hole in the back of my head.

The little girl, Rin, pouted cutely and sat back on her haunches, looking sad. "'Cause Rin can't remember any lullabies, that's why Rin wants Onee-chan to sing to her," she explained, looking up at me with those big, puppy-dog eyes. I couldn't resist.

"Alright," I sighed, patting her on the head while she climbed into my lap. "I don't know any lullabies from around here, but I'll sing you one that my Grandmere always sung to me when I was really little."

"Grandmere? What's that?" She chirped, wonder in her eyes.

Uhm...okaaay... That was weird. She didn't know that 'grandmere' was French for grandmother? She may be young, but I wouldn't think that she hadn't had at least _some_ exposure to other cultures.

A low growl behind my back warned me that I'd better start singing unless I wanted to say goodbye to nice, fresh air. "Uhh, nevermind that now, Rin-chan," I smiled, albeit a tad nervously. "Let's see...I think Brahm's Lullaby should be good."

Grinning softly, I started to croon out the words to her, glad for once that Grandmere had taught me to sing the lullaby in it's original German. It was actually a very beautiful song, one that I liked to sing to the little children I used to babysit in order to raise money for this whole trip.

Roughly translated, it went something along like this:  
Lullaby and good night, with roses bedight  
With liles o'er spread is baby's wee bed  
Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed  
Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed.

Lullaby and goodnight, thy mother's delight  
Bright angels beside my darling abide  
They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast  
They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast.

And, seriously, it's not meant to be perverted. It's an old song; the people back then weren't afraid to say 'breast'...or other stuff, but let's not get into that sort of discussion.

By the end of the lullaby, Rin had laid her head against my ample bosom, sleeping quietly and peacefully. I resisted the urge to squeal at the sheer adorable picture she made, but only because her guardian was still viciously glaring at my back.

"Just so you know," I muttered at him in English, grinning viciously to myself, "You're a very cute-looking, long-haired bishie...even if you are shorter than me."

"What did you say, wench?" Came the low growl, and my back shivered as I felt his presence draw nearer.

"Uhh, nothing, nothing at all!" I laughed nervously, scratching my hand viciously, as was my habit to do so in nerve-wracking situations such as these. Yes, I'd be paying for it later, but it helped to keep me somewhat calm now with the pain.

Like a snake, a hand shot out and grabbed the hand I'd been scratching so harshly. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the golden-eyed beauty examine my hand as it started darken as the blood welled to just below the surface of my skin. "Why did you scratch yourself, girl?"

That irked me: nobody has ever called me 'girl' before. Young lady, yes, but never 'girl.' Oh, he was most definitely on my list of people to hurt if I ever snapped.

"What can I say? You scare me," I muttered in English happily, wincing when he gave a vicious tug on my wrist.

"Stop speaking that foul language, girl," he snarled, his face getting closer to mine. "I know you can speak regularly."

"Of course I can," I snapped, not liking my personal bubble being invaded. "But it's not my milk-tongue, alright? I have more trouble talking in this language than I do in my native tongue."

"While you wear that collar, you will obey me: do not speak that heathen language of yours."

Wha! The bastard! I opened my mouth to curse him in English, but the chokehold started again. Well, damn. Now I can't even rant in English? Well...I could rant in my mind, but what fun is that? I could insult him to his face and not feel guilty about him understanding it, but now I couldn't. Well, this was just lovely.

Taking a deep breath and shivering in the cold air, I resisted the urge to rant and rave at him in Japanese. I had a suspicion he would probably make my life a living hell otherwise.

_A drum beats in the darkness..._

"Move along, wench! Master Sesshoumaru won't wait for stragglers," the little toad creature sneered at me from where he was leading that two-headed...dragon/horse...thingy, atop which Rin was riding. Of course, me being the low-life that I was in this 'lord's' eyes, I had to walk. At a fast pace. Or suffer being choked.

"Yea, yea, I'm hurrying," I grumbled in Japanese, wincing when my stomach complained at the lack of food. I was dizzy and faint from hunger, but I wouldn't let the golden-eyed beautiful bastard have the satisfaction of seeing me beg. I would never beg!

**_GRUMBLE..._**

Okay, maybe I would beg a little...if just to satisfy my stomach pangs. I don't like not eating anything in at least a day and a half... One time, I'd barely eaten anything for three days, but that had been when I'd had food poisoning. Now, I just had to deal with food allergies...and I had a lot, thanks to "Mommy dearest." Ugh, I need to eat soon, or I'm going to start mouthing off the fifty states and their capitals next.

Gasping for air, I trotted faster, eyes tearing up as I gasped for breath. As soon as the chokehold lessened again, I was able to breathe. Yes, it appeared that I couldn't be away from the golden-eyed beauty for more than ten yards before the chokehold began anew.

I swear I am going to kill the person who invented this damnable collar, even if it did save my life before. Being a virtual slave is wrose, dammit.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Come back for Rin!"

Glancing up with wide eyes, I saw the little black-haired girl waving excitedly at the silver-haired man, who had turned away from the trail, going back into the forest. "Gah! Wait for me!" I called, already feeling the chokehold beginning.

Speeding up so I could catch up with Mr. Speed-Demon, I tried to move as silently through the forest as he did, but it seemed that every little twig found it's way beneath my sandaled feet. Who knew that twigs could make so much noise in an otherwise quiet forest?

Wait...quiet...this sounds cheesy, but it really was too quiet...there wasn't even that soft buzzing noise: white noise, I think it was called. Nothing...just...nothing.

I stopped, eyes wide as sweat trickled down the small of my back. Something...something was very close...and it didn't feel happy. Not. At. All.

Mommy.

Err...I'm not scared! Yea, that's it... Gulping down a breath of the suddenly-frigid air, I chased on after the golden-eyed man, my feet nearly as quiet as his now. But that was only because I was now adrenaline-driven, and didn't want to be anywhere near that unhappy presence I'd felt. Something told me that I shouldn't be following the golden-eyed man anyways, since it looked like he was heading _towards_ the unhappy presence, but as long as this damn collar was on me, I was stuck.

Just my luck. No matter how much a coward someone is, one day they are most definitely going to have to go and face danger. Oh shit: I hope this danger wasn't the kind that involved me getting eaten by demons. I'd avoided that once, and look where it'd gotten me!

Right then, I stumbled into a clearing, gasped, and fell back on my butt. Before me stood that golden-eyed beauty with a sword in his right hand, facing off against a swarm of giant insects and demons. This would be a good time to run...if I weren't so scared.

If I ever survive this little adventure, I would never, _ever_ leave the safety of my mom's house _ever_ again!

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

**Post Scriptum Author Notes:** -is laughing so hard she can't breathe- Okay, I've always wondered how tall Sesshoumaru actually is. I figured he was one of those super-tall bishounen, over 6 feet and all. Turns out, he's only 5'9". -falls out of her chair laughing- My god, Adele is sooo much taller than he is. Wow, just, wow. Let's calculate how much taller Adele is than Fluffy-chan, hmm? -calculates hurriedly- She's at least 17cm/7in taller than Fluffy-chan...-bursts out laughing again- Oh man, I feel so guilty now. U Oh well... Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to Melancholie, who reminded me I had a good ficcy on withtheir reviews.  
By the way, I did a swift lil drawing of Adele. You can find it on Deviantart by going here (just delete the spaces): 

www. deviantart .com/ deviation/ 35438743/


	4. IV

**With Honey and Venom  
**"What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Brightened the sun to me,  
Lightened the skies;  
Made there be one to me,  
One only sun to me Not in the skies.

What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Darkened the sun to me,  
Blackened the skies;  
Made there be none to me,  
Nor star nor sun to me,  
Only black skies."  
-"Et Melle Et Felle," _Anonymous_

_What prompts people to fall in love? Is there truly such an emotion so vivid as to allow two different people to come together and care for one another so deeply as to be monogamous?_

_In my experience, there is no such thing; lust is the only factor in any relationship, and it depends solely on the strength of it to determine whether the two are monogamous or not. So far, there has never been a monogamous couple. The man will stray eventually, seeking out other bed-partners._

_Love has never existed in any relationship._

* * *

IV...My Name is Adele.

* * *

Okay, so I've done some pretty stupid things in my life, I fully admit that. There have been those few times when I've misjudged a situation and either done or said something that was pretty stupid in the long run. First time was going out with David, a boyfriend I'd had for three years before we split; the second, I guess, was deciding to go to Japan without thinking through every single little detail of my trip, including the budget. But, I swear, the biggest mistake of my _entire_ life would have to be putting on that damnable collar.

So, here I now was: standing at the edge of a clearing while Mr. I'm-too-beautiful-for-your-lowlife-eyes battles a horde of giant insects and demons with a single sword. Was he insane? But I was too scared to yell at him; he just ignored my presence, and dove into the mass, swinging his sword very elegantly. I watched it all with wide eyes, demon blood flinging everywhere, but strangely enough missing me entirely. Of course, I didn't notice that until after I'd had my panic attack. During, though, I was too frozen in panic and fear to care. A few times during the battle, I could feel the chokehold return as the golden-eyed man danced around the attacks aimed at him, but he always edged closer to me when I weakly tried to lessen the tightness on my throat.

Within minutes, the battle was over, and the bloody demon and insect corpses littered the forest clearing. That was actually when I gave in and curled into a little ball, my hands covering my neck as I squeezed my eyes shut tightly. I wasn't used to having panic attacks, and even twice within two days time was too much for me. I wanted to go home; I wanted to have my mom hug me, and reassure me that there was nothing bad that could hurt me. Even if her words were lies, they were still a slight comfort. I'd seen too much of the world to live forever naïve, but there were some moments that I wanted to return to when I was a little girl, before I'd learned of death, of destruction.

"Do you understand the power I wield now, girl?" Came a low growl above me, a clawed hand wrenching my right hand away from the back of my neck, lifting me slightly to my feet.

I hung limply from his grasp, muttering incoherently in bits of English about wanting to go home to my 'mommy,' even if the chokehold was insisting that I stop. What can I say? I was scared out of my mind--quite literally.

But he brought me back by shoving me against a nearby tree, the bark digging through the layers of clothing I wore to scratch at my back. "Listen to me, girl," he snarled, golden eyes flaring angrily. Fearing any retribution, I forced myself to calm down, saying to myself that I needed to conserve my air supply, just in case. I swallowed, nodding hesitantly to say that I was listening: I didn't trust myself to speak just yet.

"You have seen a small part of the power that I wield, girl," he said after a moment. "Do not forget that I could easily break you if you defy me."

Defy him? I would only do that if I had a death wish...and I was very close to thinking one up. I didn't like this place: it was too scary, even for me. I kind of liked death, blood and gore, but not when it was so close to me, or when I could very well be the one to die and get splattered everywhere. Having an over-active imagination, I could think of at least twenty ways I could be killed, each and every single one quite unpleasant.

"Have you lost your tongue, girl?"

Swallowing against the bile that threatened to come, I managed to stutter out, "N-no...I-I c-can st-still speak." I really didn't like the whimper lying beneath my words, but I had no choice.

"Alright then," he said, his angelic face relaxing from the angered look. At first, I thought he hadn't any emotions, but he did: his facial muscles only shifted very slightly. Only someone who was very observant could see his emotions clearly written in his face. "We're returning now; do try and keep up."

He released my hand, and I stood slowly, looking down at the top of his silver-haired head. Up close from my height, he looked effeminate and wimpy. But, that was if you take things at face value. If I'd been at least a foot shorter than I am, he would probably have been very overbearing.

He strode off in a different direction than which we'd come, and I followed as silently as I could, my hands pressing my stomach to keep it from roiling; I'd had no food, and I'd almost thrown up in fear. All this stimulation wasn't doing anything good for my overly sensitive stomach, and I could only imagine the consequences I'd suffer if I ate something I'm seriously allergic to out here.

I don't want to find out. I'd probably die in a gruesome way.

_A drum beats in the darkness…_

"Onee-chan and Sesshoumaru-sama have returned for Rin!" The little black-haired girl chirped happily as I stumbled into camp after a gliding golden-eyed beauty. Compared to him, I was bumbling oaf, but I didn't care. I smelled food. Sweet, delicious, foo-- Crap. Fish. Something I didn't like, and was mildly allergic to. Oh, woe is me. "Rin made dinner, Onee-chan!" She smiled happily at me, looking proud.

"Ah, that's really good, Rin-chan," I smiled, forcing the grimace at the food away from my face. Sitting next to her near the campfire, I waited as she carefully extracted the fish away from the flames. It was a whole fish, with the scales and eyeballs still attached. Ew. Oh well...I had to eat something, even if it was...a fish.

Picking at the flesh of the fish with the tips of my fingers, I folded aside the scales and inedible parts and gently nibbled at the meat. It tasted alright, for a fish, but my stomach was mostly happy at the food, nonetheless. In fact, I would probably be burping the air out of my stomach in a few minutes; that tended to happen whenever I ate after not eating for a while.

Meanwhile, the little girl next to me was scarfing down the fish like no tomorrow, just barely avoiding the bones. How was it possible that she could eat the scales and organs without being disgusted? I was disgusted, and just by watching her!

As soon as I couldn't see anymore to eat on the fish, I stuck the stick it'd been cooked on back in the ground, trying to ignore my unsatisfied hungry stomach. That wouldn't matter, since I was positive I'd have a hurting stomach in about a thirty minutes.

Looking up at me as she finished her own fish, Rin blinked curiously at my half-eaten fish. "Onee-chan isn't very hungry, is she?" It looked like she was getting ready to pout, or cry.

"Oh, no, not really," I said hurriedly, not wanting to disappoint her, since that would mean an angry golden-eyed man trying to asphyxiate me to death. "I just... I don't have a very big appetite," I said offhandedly, hoping the little girl didn't notice the pause.

"Oh, really?" She smiled, and I felt a moment of relief. "Neh, can Onee-chan sing me that lullaby again?" She yawned, laying down so that her head was in my lap. "Rin is tired..."

"Ah, sure thing, Rin-chan," I smiled gently, waiting until she'd gotten comfortable before I launched into Brahm's Lullaby again. It soothed my frayed nerves, reminding me of the days when I'd been a naïve little girl protected from the harsh world by her mother's arms.

I finished the song, and she was dead asleep in my lap. Feeling oh-so-motherly, I gently stroked her hair, distracting myself from cowardly thoughts of running scared back to my mother. I admit it: I was acting childishly, being this scared. I didn't want to confirm my mother's degrading valuation of my personality being a child's, however... Well, my decision to come to Japan was childish in the first place, since I wanted to prove to my mother that I wasn't a child. But I had already confirmed it... And that didn't make me feel at all good about myself right then.

"You do not even know the child, yet you are acting like a human mother: why?"

I glanced up at the golden-eyed man, tensing slightly. I ignored the offhand 'human' comment, filing that away for later contemplation; instead, I focused on the 'mother' part. "Motherly? Me? Heh, as if. My own mother says I'm too much of a child to properly take care of one on my own," I muttered darkly, going back to gently stroking Rin's dark, silky hair. "I love kids, though...they are so naïve to the world's ills, so innocent..."

"You sound as if you were not like that once yourself, girl," he commented, and I saw him, out of the corner of my eye, turn to watch toad-like servant take care of the big beast.

"Well...I learned very early in life that the world is no place for naïveté," I admitted, closing my eyes against the memories of my childhood. "I was my mother's solace when Daddy left; but it was a good thing he'd left, since he was so abusive...he'd accidentally killed my mother's first child, three years before I was born." Why was I telling him of my crappy father, whom I still called 'Daddy'? Was it the collar, or did I just want to tell someone about the silent thoughts I'd kept to myself all these years? "Mother...was never really a mother after Daddy left...I didn't realize it at the time, but she was trying to force her own shattered dreams and hopes onto me..."

"You humans are so dramatic with your emotions," he snickered (I was listening very closely to his voice: I was over-analyzing my surroundings, as usual).

"Gee, thanks for the solace," I grumbled, yawning myself. My whole sleep pattern had been out-of-whack, but now it seemed that I was getting tired at normal human hours...wait. Had he just said "you humans"? Did that mean... "Are you a demon?" I asked him, gazing up at his still form with wide sky blue eyes.

He glanced at me, his golden eyes meeting my sky-blue ones. "You have just now figured that out, girl?"

"Uhh, yea, I did," I rolled my eyes at him, slapping my palm to my forehead, shaking my head at my own stupidity.

"What is the meaning of that gesture?" He queried, even though he sounded bored and uninterested; guess he didn't want to appear that he was interested in something that I, a 'lowlife human,' had done.

"Oh, uhm...it means something along the lines of: 'I can't believe I was that stupid,'" I explained, trying for the best meaning I could think of.

"Really? It would seem that you do that quite a lot; does that mean you are very stupid?"

"Gah! Wha...gah!" I glared at him, grumbling incoherently at the insult. However, at the slight tilt to his perfect lips, I paused. Had he just... Had he just_teased_ me? I looked at him closer, and the smirk was wiped from his face as he turned to look at me.

"Why are you staring at me so, girl?"

Yup, he'd been teasing me...he even looked embarrassed at having had smirked! Wow...was he flirting with me? There'd been only two other instances where guy's have flirted with me: when I'd cosplayed as a J-Rocker(1) to a friend's birthday party, and the first time I'd met David. Now it looked like I could add this golden-eyed beauty to the list...

What was his name, anyways? Oh, right, Sesshoumaru...interesting name... Wait. He didn't know mine, did he? No, I don't think so... "By the way; my name's Adele," I said suddenly, for some odd reason wanting him to know what to call me, besides 'girl.'

"Ad...ele?"

"Yea, Adele," I smiled brightly up at him. "And it's nice to make your acquaintance, Sesshoumaru-san."

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

**Post Scriptum Author's Note:** You know what? I looked back to how I'd had With Honey and Venom planned out, and it was nothing like this! I guess that's kind of good, since it was kind of really sappy before, and Adele was kind of getting to be Mary-Sue-ish. Oh well. This new Adele I've got going is actually kind of cool, in the whole "I'm kind of weak-willed in some ways, and strong-willed in others" way. Well, anyways, I wouldn't suggest writing something and leaving it for several months and come back to revise it. Although, that seems to work for me, for some odd reason. So, yea, hope you enjoyed chapter four, and I'd love to hear your comments, readers. Reviews make me happy, and a happy BGF-chan makes more chapters faster.  
(1) Just imagine Mana (if you know about him). He's part of the J-Rock band, Malice Mizer, and is really pretty. Just look him up, along with the band name. You'll see what I'm talking about.


	5. V

**With Honey and Venom  
**"What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Brightened the sun to me,  
Lightened the skies;  
Made there be one to me,  
One only sun to me Not in the skies.

What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Darkened the sun to me,  
Blackened the skies;  
Made there be none to me,  
Nor star nor sun to me,  
Only black skies."

-"Et Melle Et Felle," _Anonymous_

_What prompts people to fall in love? Is there truly such an emotion so vivid as to allow two different people to come together and care for one another so deeply as to be monogamous?_

_In my experience, there is no such thing; lust is the only factor in any relationship, and it depends solely on the strength of it to determine whether the two are monogamous or not. So far, there has never been a monogamous couple. The man will stray eventually, seeking out other bed-partners._

_Love has never existed in any relationship._

* * *

V...Perverts in the Hot Spring

* * *

It's been at least three days since I woke up in the well, and I've had several panic attacks within that span. But, I've also learned a bit about myself: like how cowardly I am. For a long time, I thought myself a brave, strong type of woman. I guess you really don't know how brave you can be until you almost get eaten by a demon, or have your life threatened. But, that didn't make me feel good, not at all. It was almost kind of like the feeling you get when you suddenly realize that you've been lied to all your life, or that Santa Claus isn't real. That feeling was very familiar to me as of late, but that didn't mean I had to like it. 

"Damn, damn, double damn!" I groused, scratching viciously at my itching back. "Ohhhh, why did I wind up sleeping in something itchy!" Rin was giggling as she watched me dance around, scratching wherever I could get at. Well, I guess it was pretty funny, but it was definitely no fun for me! Dammit, I was itching like crazy!

"You should have looked where you were laying before falling asleep, girl," Sesshoumaru smirked, also watching me dancing about while scratching my back.

"Gah! How was I supposed to know? Dammit, if you don't have something to contribute, leave me to my scratching!" I whined, peeling the haori out of the pants of my priestess garb, reaching under the layers to scratch my skin fiercely. Finally, I was able to get rid of some of the itch, but only because it was replaced with pain. Just one of the reasons why I sometimes dislike the wilderness. "Owwies...now it hurts."

"If you're quite finished, we will be leaving now."

"Yea, yea, whatever." Grousing, I tucked the haori back into the dark-blue bottom of the outfit, straightening it so that my t-shirt didn't show. Might as well keep up the image of being a shrine priestess, or whatever.

So, we all got up and left the campsite, Rin riding that big dragon/horse thingy again, led by the toad guy, who I really hadn't gotten much time to talk to. He seemed kind of...interesting, in a freaky sort of way. Yeaa...and I just happened to thing freaky things like him were the cutest EVER...hey, that's how I was able to watch It, okay? It's sort of a survival instinct, to think that scary and creepy things are adorable. Now, puppies and kittens are still cute, but this toad guy was right up there, at least in my book.

I wonder if I could make a plushie of him to take home?

"Wah! Wait up for me!" I called, hurrying my step to not be left behind...or choked.

We walked along for a while, following path through the forest before it gave way to a field. It was beautiful, and it was even near a mountain! Wow, I'd probably get to see snow, if I was lucky enough. However, before I could begin to enjoy the thought of experiencing actual snow, I felt a pain lance through my midsection.

"Owwwies..." I grumbled silently to myself, pressing my stomach inward, trying to lessen the pain. I don't know why it'd been delayed, but it would seem that my allergic reaction to the fish had finally struck. It hurt so much that I wanted to cry, but I never cry in front of others. Ever. But, I was sweating like crazy because of the pain; I gave in a tad and let a few whimpers escape my throat, wincing as that only served to strengthen the pain a tad more. "Dammit...this day is going from bad to worse," I grumbled beneath my breath, hoping that the pain would go away soon.

"Is Onee-chan okay?" Rin called, hoping off the dragon/horse thing to come walk beside me. "Onee-chan looks like she's in lotsa pain."

"Y-Yea," I admitted, wiping my sweating forehead. Had my allergies worsened again? Last time I'd eaten fish, it hadn't been this painful; of course, it'd been almost five years since I'd last eaten fish, and my allergies _had_ worsened in that span. _Grrreeaaat_. "It's just...my allergies, no worry, Rin-chan."

"All...ergies? What're those?" She asked, her cherubic face looking very concerned for my health.

"Ahh...basically, my body can't stand some things, and rebels against it, kind of like being poisoned," I said in a rushed breath, shivering as my body went from hot to cold, and back again.

"Onee-chan is poisoned?" Rin gasped, looking doubly worried.

Shaking my head hurriedly, I laid a hand on her shoulder. "Ah, it's no problem, Rin-chan. It's something my body will work through, eventually...I just...need to tough it out." I gave her the best smile I was capable of: unfortunately, it was laced with the pain I felt in my midsection.

Her big brown eyes still watched me worriedly, and the toad guy was barking from up front for us to hurry up, or we'd be left behind. Not much to worry about there, since I could feel the choking begin every time I was a good distance away from Sesshoumaru.

After that, the day pretty much passed with me being in pain, Rin walking beside me, and lots of walking and half-jogging to catch up after slowing down because of the pain. Of course, my luck got better after that, since Rin later told me that we would be stopping by a hot spring to relax. Steaming hot water was the perfect thing to relax the pain in my stomach, so that was good, at least. But, I wondered if the hot spring had dividers for women and men.

Unfortunately, as soon as we stopped for that night, I discovered that it was just a natural hot spring, and not one for tourists at all. Hell, there wasn't even a divider. So, the toad guy (Rin had told me that his name was Jaken), Rin, and I decided that the ladies would go first. It really sucked, though, that I had to ask Sesshoumaru to be somewhere nearby so that I could breathe while I soaked. Of course, I came up with the excuse that Rin and I would be defenseless otherwise, so he agreed after a few minutes of convincing (read "_begging_").

So, after three days of suffering from jet lag, panic, food allergies, and itchiness, I was finally able to soak away my troubles.

"What's that you're wearing , Onee-chan?" Rin asked innocently, pointing to my chest.

I looked down: she was talking about my bra. Looking at her confusedly for a second, it took me about three moments to figure out that she didn't know what a bra was. "Oh...uhm...well, once you reach a certain age, you'll start to become a woman, Rin-chan," I said, daring to hope that she wouldn't ask me about 'the bird and the bees' next. I'd never had that talk; I'd learned all I knew about sex from talking with friends, and reading smutty romance novels. Otherwise, I was as virgin as they come. "This is what I wear to keep my breasts from bouncing everywhere and getting in the way."

"Ah, I see, because they're so big!" Rin chirped happily, nodding in understanding while I just blushed at her observation. It was one thing to know your boobs were big; it was entirely different to have a little girl call it to your attention.

Sighing, I just continued removing my clothes, folding them neatly about a food from the water's edge so they wouldn't get wet. Then, I slid into the water beside Rin, and sighed in relief as I sank down into the heated spring. It was heaven-on-earth, but it only came up to my waist; that was deep enough for Rin, but definitely not for me. This was just one of the many things that spoiled because of my height.

Moving carefully through the water, I headed toward where a big rock had cut through half of the large spring before stopping in the middle. Hopefully, there'd be deeper water over there, so I could properly stretch my legs out and soak.

"Where're you goin, Onee-chan?" Rin called, sounding a bit worried.

"I'll just be over here, Rin-chan," I called back, turning to smile at her and wave a little. "Don't worry, I'll be back in a few."

Once I reached the other side of the spring, I began searching for my deeper water, moving carefully about with my feet. I was several feet away from the giant rock when my foot poked something solid, something that most definitely wasn't a rock, or soil. Paling, I slowly looked down through the bubbling water, cold despite the heat. It was...it was...

"A corpse..." I shivered, tears of panic springing to my eyes as I stumbled backwards in fear. My voice had vanished, and all I could manage was a hoarse, soft cry as my feet slid out from beneath me, and my head became quite intimate with the giant rock.

Everything went black after that.

_A drum beats in the darkness..._

I was pretty sure hell wasn't physically painful, so I must've survived getting my head whacked against a big rock. It hurt worse than all of hell, but at least it confirmed I was alive. For now. If I didn't die from gagging out the water I'd swallowed from the spring. Who knew what kind of heat-loving bacteria I'd swallowed! Probably a whole bunch of cyanobacteria, the kind that gives you yeast infections and such. I shudder to think what kinds were swimming in my lungs right now!

"You were foolish to have fallen and hurt yourself, girl," came a masculine voice from somewhere around me; I wasn't so sure, because my head hurt just enough to make thinking VERY painful.

"Uhhhghhh... You don't have to tell me: I lived it," I groaned, weakly reaching up to brush back my wet hair as I attempted to open my eyes. It was still dark, so I couldn't have been out for long. I rolled over and glanced up at the golden-eyed man. His hair was wet...? "Did you save me?"

"Rin asked it of me," he said, almost defensively, looking away from my querying sky-blue gaze.

I sat up, holding the back of my aching skull. "Ugh... Thank you...I think."

"You...think?"

"I might have just swallowed a whole bunch of nasty microscopic organisms that'll kill me in a few days," I groused, burping to emphasize my point. "Death by drowning while unconscious, or death by getting sick from almost-drowning? Ya know, there really isn't any contest which kind of death I'd pick if I had a choice." It was a lame attempt at a joke, but it reassured me that I was going to be okay, at least in a few hours. That's the way I know I'm okay: if I crack a lame-ass joke after something bad happened, every single thing is A-oh-Kay.

He didn't look amused, though. "You will be fine," he said, as if it had already been decided. "Get dressed; Rin will be worried if we are not back at camp soon."

"Okay...wait..." I looked down. "_**YOU PERVERT!**_" I screeched, trying to cover as much skin as possible while I glared at him, wishing him dead on the spot. "_**STOP LOOKING AT ME!**_"

The corner of his mouth kicked up in amusement, although he tried to look uninterested. "You have nothing that I haven't seen before...even if they are big."

"**_GAHHHHHHHHH! PERVEEEEERRRRRTTT!_**"

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

**Post Scriptum Author's Note:** -clutches her stomach while laughing- Oh, god, as soon as I finished writing that last scene, I was muttering to myself "I want to end it right there." Lo and behold! I'd already reached my target word-count so I could end it right there at the pervert comment. Oh, come on! Don't tell me you haven't imagined Sesshoumaru cracking a perverted comment? Seriously, he's too serious half the time NOT to. Hehehe. But, yea, I enjoyed writing that scene. PervertFluffy-sama...wow, now THAT would be an interesting picture...I wonder if I should attempt to draw it? It'd be chibi, though... Too lazy to draw full-body.  
Anyways, I drew another picture of Adele. This time, I was able to put in a background! Yay! Actually, it's my first successful background EVER, so be proud of me, dammit! So, yea, check it out here (but delete the spaces first:  
www .deviantart .com/ deviation/ 35504018/  
On another note... This is the third chapter I've done within two days. Ain't ya'll proud o' me? But I want more reviews!I will try to be faster and type up two chapters within the same day, if ya'll give me more reviews. Remember! A happy BGF-chan types faster. 


	6. VI

**With Honey and Venom  
**"What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Brightened the sun to me,  
Lightened the skies;  
Made there be one to me,  
One only sun to me Not in the skies.

What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Darkened the sun to me,  
Blackened the skies;  
Made there be none to me,  
Nor star nor sun to me,  
Only black skies."

-"Et Melle Et Felle," _Anonymous_

_What prompts people to fall in love? Is there truly such an emotion so vivid as to allow two different people to come together and care for one another so deeply as to be monogamous?_

_In my experience, there is no such thing; lust is the only factor in any relationship, and it depends solely on the strength of it to determine whether the two are monogamous or not. So far, there has never been a monogamous couple. The man will stray eventually, seeking out other bed-partners._

_Love has never existed in any relationship._

* * *

VI...And So, It Begins...

* * *

"I'm_really_ sorry, Sesshoumaru-san!" I said, shivering in my wet clothes. Both layers were wet, even my underwear, but I daren't take them off to get dry. We needed to get away, before they found us! "Please...can you forgive me?"

"Silence, woman!" The golden-eyed demon spat back at me, snarling as looked outside the cave we were currently huddled in. "It's your fault that I lost my sword; and it's also your fault that we are now stuck together like this!"

**Gah!** The bastard! ...but it really was my fault that we stuck like this in the first place...oh, if only I hadn't messed up... I sighed, hugging myself as best I could, to keep warm; I wouldn't be expecting any help from my companion anytime soon. It was really cold now, but it wasn't snowing...what was the temperature? Damn, I sure do hope that I don't get hypothermia, or something...that would_really_ suck. "Well, what're we going to do now, then?"

"We have to get back to Jaken and Rin, first," he said, not looking at me, still. "The Two-Headed Staff should be able to melt this chain."

I looked at him sharply, wondering if he'd ever realize it. "This chain is made of _steel_, Sesshoumaru-san! You're poison couldn't melt it! I'm pretty sure that Jaken's staff couldn't generate enough heat to melt these without burning our own wrists off."

"Do not assume that you know better than me, woman," he glared at me, his golden eyes turning the air several degrees cooler.

I growled, gritting my teeth. It'd taken me a while to figure it out, but there was no getting past the simple fact that...I really wasn't in my own time. Ever since I came to this place, I'd kept hoping that I would stumble across civilization sooner or later. But it was only a matter of time before I'd realize that I was several centuries in Japan's past... I don't even know how it was possible! Did it have something to do with that well I fell into, back at Sunset Shrine? Even if it did...it wouldn't help my situation now.

Speaking of which, I bet you're wondering how Sesshoumaru and I got our hands chained together, hmm? So do I...but, seriously, it started about two days after that incident in the hot spring...

_A drum beats in the darkness..._

"I appreciate you letting me ride, Ah-Un," I smiled down at the twin-headed dragon/horse demon thing, giving it a pat on one of it's noses. "Walking was getting really tiring."

"And waiting for you to catch up was getting even more tiring," Jaken spat, yapping his little green beak at me, waving his staff around in the air for emphasis.

"Ah, you're just jealous that you don't get to ride, too, Jaken-chan!" I laughed, hoisting the little guy up by the back of his kimono. He was several feet shorter than me, but he sure didn't let that stop him from trying to make me feel inferior! In fact, if he didn't watch it, I was gonna start liking the little guy. "You can ride on my shoulders, since you're so tiny!"

"Don't call me tiny!" The frog demon snapped, struggling as he dangled several feet up in the air. "And address me properly, wench!"

"Hehehe," I grinned rakishly, winking a big blue eye in front of his face. "Better watch it, Jaken-_chan_, or I might just step on you, since you're so small, and all."

"**Gah!** Wench! Unhand me at once!"

Chuckling, I set him back down, but not before giving his pointy hat a flick to knock it askew. He was just so cute and tiny! Yea, I admit it: I have a soft spot for tiny creatures. Being bigger than six feet makes a lot of creatures tiny by comparison, so I had a lot to squeal at for being cute. What can I say? I'm female.

"Kyaa! Rin wants to ride on Onee-chan's shoulders!" Rin squealed at the idea, bouncing up and down with her arms stretched out to me.

"But, Rin, we were about to camp," I said apologetically, ruffling her hair when she pouted oh-so-adorably. "Tomorrow, okay? I'll give you a piggy-back ride tomorrow."

"Yes!" The little girl squealed, hugging my thighs (she couldn't quite reach my waist). "But, Onee-chan, what do you think we should eat tonight? Since your body doesn't like fish, or pig..." She looked thoughtful, propably trying to think of a food that I could eat. Poor thing; the episode when I'd accidentally eaten pork without knowing it had scared her so much. Well, it had scared me, too, since I thought I would die, the pain was that intense. Rin had been so worried that she'd 'killed' me that we lost a day traveling, just so I could recover from my allergic reaction. Oh, if only my mouth itched, or I got hives, instead of having such intense stomach pain! Maybe then I wouldn't have scared the poor thing.

"Oh! I know," I said, smiling as I knelt next to her. Leaning closer, I whispered into her ear, "Why don't we go try and catch some rabbits."

"But...rabbits are cute and fluffy!" Rin protested, looking appalled at the idea.

"Oh, okay then," I said, looking properly apologetic. "Well, what do you suggest?"

"Uhm...we could go look for some edible roots, vegetables, and nuts!" She said, looking excited at the idea.

"Oh, alright," I sighed, not really liking the idea; I wasn't a really big fan of any of the three. I was more of a...bloody rare steak and potato kind of girl. I only ate vegetables and that kinda stuff when necessary. Well, I guess it was necessary now. "Hey, Jaken, we're going to look for stuff to eat for dinner," I called to the little guy, standing up and taking Rin by the hand. "We'll be nearby, so don't worry."

"You better keep her safe, girl, or Sesshoumaru-sama will have my head!" He called, waving his staff around for emphasis again._ Cute!_

Laughing as Rin and I walked a little ways away, I told him, "Don't worry so much! You'll hurt yourself if you don't relax a little!"

We searched for food for a good thirty minutes, and Rin found more than I could. Obviously, she was better at survival skills than I was. What can I say? I bought a survival guide once and never read it.

However, just as we were about to return to camp, a swift wind, preceded by a malevolent presence, warned us of an approaching guest.

"So, you're the new human Sesshoumaru-sama has been traveling with," came a voice that was cold enough to send shivers down my spine.

I spun around toward the voice, showing Rin behind my back protectively. It was an automatic reaction, but I probably would've done it anyway: I'd come to care for the little girl, like I usually do with little kids. "Stay behind me, Rin-chan," I ordered the girl, who just nodded her head against my lower back while shivering a little.

The woman (demon, maybe?) smirked at my reaction, the neat-looking fan in her hand flipping open to cover her mouth while she spoke. "What an interesting reaction...are you pregnant with Sesshoumaru-sama's pups yet?"

"**What!**" How_dare_ that woman? I never...gah! Just because this damn collar inferred as much, that didn't mean I'd sleep with a guy that I didn't care a lot for! "You...you _bitch_."

"Tut, tut, little human," she said, still standing on her giant feather...boat...thingy. "I'd watch your mouth if I were you...I might just tear it off!"

"What a lovely image." I rolled my eyes, nudging Rin behind me as covertly as I could. Out of the corner of my mouth, I whispered to her, "Go get Jaken or Sesshoumaru. Hurry!" As soon as the brown-eyed girl understood my whispered words, she hurried off, and I covered her escape with my body. Being tall was good for some things, at least.

The red-eyed woman grinned down at me, hopping off of her feather-boat to stand a few yards away from me. She was shorter than me, but she was_way_ more intimidating. "So, how did you enjoy your little jaunt in this time, wench?"

"This...time?" I blinked confusedly, letting my guard down a moment to puzzle out her words.

Before I could blink a second time, she had sprung forward, knocking me backwards into a tree. I just barely avoided banging my head on the trunk, but only by sheer strength of will. "Ugh...damn...you...bitch!" I snarled, throwing a punch wildly at her.

She just dodged it easily, tittering at my reaction. "Hehe, you have not learned yet, wench? This time is not your own...you are in the past of your time," she laughed, loving my dumbfoundedness.

"How... Time travel isn't possible!" I snapped, feeling denial rage in my mind at the thought.

"Oh, no it isn't. In fact, a particular girl does it all the time...I believe you know her? Kagome Higurashi..."

I didn't know the given name, but Higurashi had been the name of the family living at Sunset Shrine. Could she have been a relative? I don't know...my mind was so confused now...

"Ah, what a poor little human; so lost and alone in a time that is not her own... Come with me, and Master Naraku will help you," she said, a wicked tilt to her lips.

However, the mention of that name sent shivers up my spine, as if a long-buried instinct in my genes warned me; was it possible? Was I in the past, and one of my ancestors had encountered this...Naraku person?

"What do you say, human? Will you come with me to see Master Naraku?"

Gritting my teeth against the shiver of fear the name caused, I turned blazing blue eyes on the red-eyed woman. "Go. To. **_Hell!_**"

"Adele-san!"

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

**Post Scriptum Author's Note:** First off, I apologize for the shortness, and the cliffhanger. -sweatdrop- I wanted to get a new chapter out pretty soon, since I'll be doing other stuff pretty soon (like going to Sea World with my mom). -shifty eyes- But, yea, I have no clue if rabbits are native to Japan, or not... -sweatdrop- So, just for my sake, pretend that they are, even if they aren't! But, yea, anyway. -coughcough- Yay! Thanks for the reviews again, Melancholie! -smilesmile Reviews are definitely for the writer to get constructive criticism. In your case, you give me really great ideas on what should happen next!  
Now, to answer a few of your questions... In the original Japanese version, Rin always refers to herself by her name. If you watch a lot of subtitled animes, you tend to notice that the young female characters that are trying to act cute tend to refer to themselves by name. For some odd reason, it's a way of talking in Japan that is supposed to be "cute," much like crooked teeth (go figure). In the American version, though, Rin uses "I" and talks normally. I'm trying to go for the more Japanese version, though, so I hope this little explanation helps.  
Also, I'm wondering why Sesshoumaru left that collar lying around, too. 0o I swear, these characters don't let me in on their secrets until I'm actually writing them down! -gonk- Especially that whole Sesshoumaru flirting thing. o0 I don't even know if he was! ...But, chances are, he was probably just teasing her. Why? Maybe because he feels some sort of connection with her? You know, since they have similarities in their childhoods, almost.  
As for the title..."With Honey and Venom" is rather a title of the poem up front, but it also is kind of referred to a proverb in Latin. "Amor et melle et felle est fecundissimus," which translates to "Love is rich with both honey and venom." Meaning, love can be heaven and hell in one, and that the good and bad come as one. I chose this particular title because I didn't intend for Adele and Sesshoumaru's relationship to go smoothly at all.  
But, yea, this PS AN is long. o0 About that corpse thing...I think I'll have to find a way to tie it in with the storyline somehow! -laughs nervously- But, as always, I really do appreciate your reviews. They just seem to encourage me to write so much! I look forward to another one of your reviews, as well as reviews from others, of course! For now, ja ne! 


	7. VII

**With Honey and Venom**  
"What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Brightened the sun to me,  
Lightened the skies;  
Made there be one to me,  
One only sun to me Not in the skies.

What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Darkened the sun to me,  
Blackened the skies;  
Made there be none to me,  
Nor star nor sun to me,  
Only black skies."

-"Et Melle Et Felle," _Anonymous_

_What prompts people to fall in love? Is there truly such an emotion so vivid as to allow two different people to come together and care for one another so deeply as to be monogamous?_

_In my experience, there is no such thing; lust is the only factor in any relationship, and it depends solely on the strength of it to determine whether the two are monogamous or not. So far, there has never been a monogamous couple. The man will stray eventually, seeking out other bed-partners._

_Love has never existed in any relationship._

* * *

VII...Warmth

* * *

"Adele-san!"

I whirled around, startled to hear my name shouted so fiercely. And who would do that, but Sesshoumaru himself. With those inner senses I was just becoming accustomed to, I could feel anger radiate off him in tidal waves, drowning out the malevolent presence of the red-eyed woman. Unfortunately, I had a feeling that the anger was...directed at me.

"So, you've shown yourself, Sesshoumaru-sama," the red-eyed woman chuckled evilly, dancing away from the poisonous yellow whip that shot out of Sesshoumaru's fingertips. I hadn't seen that before! What...what was that?

"Kagura...leave now," the golden-eyed demon snarled, his anger rising exponentially by the minute.

I was scared, really scared, now. Had I done something wrong to deserve this anger directed toward me?

"Hehe, I think not!" The woman, Kagura, dashed forward, and I could just barely see that her path was directed toward me. Without thinking, I dodged toward Sesshoumaru, stumbling into him, causing him to lose his grip on his sword, which was flung into the bushes somewhere. However, the attack I'd thought was coming only turned out to be a sort of chain-cuff, linking my left hand with Sesshoumaru's right. "Now, you won't be able to attack without hurting your precious _pet_, Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagura laughed, positioning her fan just below her chin, artistically framing her face.

Crap...what had I done? Had I inadvertently caused our deaths? Oh, I did hope I hadn't.

But I didn't get another chance to think. Kagura had whipped her fan about, the wind circling around it visibly. Then, she launched several blade-like wind gusts at us, and I cowered against Sesshoumaru's side, whimpering in fear. But no pain came... Curious, I glanced up and was surprised to see that the wind blades had been harmlessly deflected by a glowing...shield-thingy, some sort of barrier. But, how?

"Dammit," Kagura cursed, raising her arm for another attack.

Panicked, I hopped through the bushes, dragging the light-weight demon with me by the chain. Adrenalin now pumped through my veins, urging me faster, onwards, onwards, _onwards!_ I ran as if the dogs of hell were nipping at my heels, despite Sesshoumaru trying to stop me from running. But, there's always one thing you should never do: never stop a coward from running, especially if they're almost half a foot taller than you.

"Girl! Stop running this instant!" He barked, his order reflected in the torque I wore, which tightened painfully around my throat.

The animal inside me wailed in fear, making me stumble and fall. I barely caught myself with my forearms, and the sleeves of the haori I wore were slashed to bits. I clawed at the torque, gasping for breath, blue eyes wide with fright and panic. Looking up at Sesshoumaru, I saw myself reflected back at me in golden hues: pathetic, weak, cowardly Adele, who had been brought done by a collar that allowed control over me to a person I didn't even know... Oh, gods, I shivered, thinking to myself. I'd fallen so far, so fast...could I even consider myself human anymore?

"Run, run, little human. We'll catch you and take you to see Master Naraku."

At her words, I think I started hyperventilating, because everything got blurry and fuzzy all of a sudden. The next thing I knew, I'd managed to drag myself and Sesshoumaru to the edge of a waterfall. When we'd started out, we hadn't been anywhere near a waterfall! Oh man, I was starting to get a headache...

"Haaa...we have to get away," I said, wheezing for breath as I clutched my chest, trying to blink away the black edges around my vision.

"Girl, we will go back and fight," Sesshoumaru stated, dripping some sort of...poison? like substance over the middle of the chain that bound us together. However, it did nothing but sizzle and fall around the metal. The chain...it looked like it was steel! How?

"Hehe...**_boo!_**"

I shrieked away from the sudden appearance of that Kagura woman, stumbling backwards and over the edge of the falls. I dangled for a moment, held up by Sesshoumaru, but my weight pulled us both down, and into the rushing water. I blacked out after that.

_A drum beats in the darkness..._

"I know this chain is steel, Sesshoumaru-san," I muttered, shivering in my wet and torn clothes. "What that woman...Kagura...said... It's real. All of it...I'm not in my own time..." I shivered, just thinking about who that Naraku person could be.

He glanced back at me, his palpable anger dissipating somewhat. "You...had no idea, then?"

"No idea about what?" I asked, looking at him, hoping I looked pathetic enough to make all his anger go away.

A moment passed, and then he sighed audibly, leaning back against the wall of the cave I'd woken up in. Apparently, he'd pulled us out of the waterfall and into this cave to hide until I'd woken up. I don't know whether or not to thank him, but that would come later. When we were safe.

"You...Your scent has many similarities to Naraku's," he said, watching to gauge my reaction.

I shivered at the mention of the name, not liking what he'd said. "My...scent? You mean, like how a dog can smell out something? Like that kind of scent?"

He nodded. "I did not notice it at first, until after you put on those strange garments beneath your priestess garment. Also, there was a strange marking I saw on your right shoulder..."

"My birthmark," I nodded, trying to ignore the blush that drifted over my face at the mention of that hot spring incident, when I'd nearly drowned after seeing a corpse in the spring. Now that I think about it, that thing really hadn't looked human at all...what had it been? "I can't remember when I first noticed it, but it's pretty much always been there, ever since I was little. It's kind of like a raised scar--a scar that looks like the Roman numeral three."

He ignored that last comment, instead just watching my face.

After I'd stopped talking, I waited for him to say something. Long moments passed, and I grew embarrassed with how closely he was watching me. I'm not comfortable with looking people in the eye for a long time, so I pretty much didn't have good listening skills. After about three minutes with him watching me, I turned my face away, shivering to try and keep my body from going numb.

"Are you...cold?"

I turned back to look at him, nodding slightly. "Yea...why do you ask?"

Another long moment passed before he scooted closer to me, reaching out to tug me close to him by the moon pendant on the collar. "Come here," he said, wrapping his right arm around me, hugging me closer to his chest. When had he removed his armor? "I shall keep you warm until you are well enough to run; then, we shall make our way back to Jaken and Rin."

Blushing, I nodded into his chest, feeling...well, warm and fuzzy. I hadn't felt like this in a long time...not since Daddy had left. I'd been really little at the time, and very, very sick. I can't remember what I'd been sick with, but it had been enough to knock me out for hours at a time. Only, when I awoke toward the afternoon, I found myself being held by my father, a wet wash cloth draped over my aching forehead. He'd just looked down at me and smiled, saying "Hi, pumpkin, how are you feeling?" That was one of the only times that I'd felt safe and secure, and well-loved.

Sighing almost happily, I nuzzled closer to Sesshoumaru, smiling. I was probably still half out of my mind, because of oxygen deprivation, but I felt...really safe and loved, being right here. I can count on one hand the number of times I'd felt like that around a guy, and those had only been with a past boyfriend, or my father. Now, here I was, drowsing and feeling like that with a near stranger.

So far, my trip to Japan has been a very strange experience...but, even with all the bad stuff happening, I would never wish it away, if just for this moment...

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

**Post Scriptum Author's Note:** Yea, again, sorry for the shortness. The chapter felt like it should end right there, so I did. -sweatdrop- But, yea, awaffy moment between Adele and Sesshoumaru: what did you think of it? Also, you might have a few questions about the plot so far, so feel free to ask me in your review! -smilesmile- I'd be happy to try and answer your questions! But, no, I won't give you spoilers for upcoming chapters, since I don't even know what's going to happen next. -laughs nervously- In any case, I'll try and type up chapter eight sometime soon (hopefully today or tomorrow). So, yea, ja ne! 


	8. VIII

**With Honey and Venom  
**"What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Brightened the sun to me,  
Lightened the skies;  
Made there be one to me,  
One only sun to me Not in the skies.

What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Darkened the sun to me,  
Blackened the skies;  
Made there be none to me,  
Nor star nor sun to me,  
Only black skies."

-"Et Melle Et Felle," _Anonymous_

_What prompts people to fall in love? Is there truly such an emotion so vivid as to allow two different people to come together and care for one another so deeply as to be monogamous?_

_In my experience, there is no such thing; lust is the only factor in any relationship, and it depends solely on the strength of it to determine whether the two are monogamous or not. So far, there has never been a monogamous couple. The man will stray eventually, seeking out other bed-partners._

_Love has never existed in any relationship._

* * *

VIII...Stones and Oni

* * *

Sesshoumaru was resting by the time I woke. He looked so cute sleeping like that. But, even with the cuteness factor, we still had the issue of getting this...manacle-chain thingy off. I'd only been guessing it was made of steel; hopefully, it was some type of softer metal that could be easily broken...if not melted with acidic green poison. Eep.

As carefully as I could, I lifted the golden-eyed demon's arm over my shoulder and laid it on his lap. I didn't want to disturb the sleeping demon, since that proverb thingy was in my head: "Let sleeping dogs lie," or something like that. Don't really know why that was in my head, actually, but it kind of applied to the mood about now.

So, as silently as I could, I bent close to examine the chain connecting the metal bracelets, squinting in the meager sunlight trailing into the mouth of the cave. The chain had obviously gotten wet, and it was slightly rusty... Hah! That means it _was _made of inferior metal! Alright! It should be easily breakable now!

Glancing around for a rock, I selected the heaviest one I could lift with one hand. I dragged the chain closer to me, wincing as it rattled in the near-silence of the cave. For a cave behind near a waterfall, it was surprisingly silent. I wonder why... In any case, I aimed for what I judged to be the weakest part of the chain, lifted the rock, and slammed it down, _hard_.

"**_GAHHHHHH_**!" Unfortunately, I'd hit my own hand. "Owwies..." I sniffled, dropping the rock to clutch my pained hand to my chest, curling over it instinctively. "That...was a bright idea," I laughed at myself, wincing every time my hand throbbed.

"What were you trying to do, girl?"

I didn't even look up; I knew who it was, anyways. "Trying to...to get the chain off," I muttered, swallowing past the lump in my throat, trying not to sound feeble.

"By harming yourself?"

"Not really...I aimed wrong," I laughed, sobbing and whimpering a little.

"Let me see it..."

I thought he meant my hand, but when I looked up, he was examining the chain. "Thanks a lot for the concern, Sesshoumaru-san," I grumbled, flexing my fingers one at a time to make sure I hadn't broken anything. Sometimes, I really didn't know my own strength. I'd broken a finger one time by just slamming my fist on the carpeted floor! I was laughing at a joke I'd seen on TV that time...and it hadn't hurt as much as right now...but oh well. That was then, this is now.

"You'll be fine," he said, a tad flippantly. I guess he really didn't care all that much...jerk. "This chain has weakened."

"Yea, 'cause of the water and air, I think. It's a bit rusty...or, that Kagura chick didn't know that metal is weakened by water and air. It's a chemical reaction." He stared at me, probably wondering what I was talking about. Oh...that's right...he doesn't know about atoms, and chemical reactions and stuff... Boy, people in the past may be able to kick modern-day peoples' asses, but they sure don't have a lot upstairs, if you get what I'm saying. "Meaning, the weakening of metal is natural. Everything erodes eventually--hell, even bone! Although, bones tend to take thousands of years...millions, if you count the dinosaur bones... Okay, pretend you didn't hear that," I said, realizing my mistake. I looked at him wide-eyed, hoping to high heaven he didn't believe me. Grandfather Paradox, here I come!

"You are vexing me, girl. Stop," he said simply, rubbing a dainty clawed finger between his eyebrows, as if he had a tic. I wouldn't be surprised if he did; I tend to do that to people. Especially myself. Boy, do I vex me...okay, that's just retarded. I'll stop now.

"Geez...ya know, if you'd let me speak in my mother tongue, I wouldn't have to vex you so much," I said cajolingly, an idea popping into my head. Okay, so I can be a little...well, okay, I can most definitely be manipulative when I need to be...or just don't feel like doing something... A kid gets great practice manipulating people by using their parents as test subjects.

A golden eye glared at me, and I scratched my cheek with my free hand, nervously wondering if he'd kill me. So far, he hadn't, but I wouldn't put it past him now... I think I was working the last of his nerves...or maybe the second-to-last...I hope it's the third-to-last.

"Okay, okay, I get ya, I'll shut up now," I said, reneging on my secret plot to convince him to let me speak English again. "But I _do _have a few theories on how to get this chain off, but since you want me to shut up, I guess I'll just keep them to myse--"

"Be. Quiet."

"Yessir!"

Okay, he's scary. Officially. I know, I'm a wimp; I'm taller than him by about half a foot, yet he scares me shitless...whatever happened to the weightlifting-enjoying girl I used to be? Gone with my sanity, I guess. Wait...sanity is still here... Okay, gone with my _in_sanity...I think. Wait, let me check.

"_**Cracker jack shit!**_"

Yup. Still there.

"_What _was the point of you jabbing your own hand?"

"Just to see if it still hurt," I laughed, waving my injured hand in the air to cool down the heated pain.

He stared at me, and if he could drop his jaw, _boy _did his jaw drop! Yea, I do that to people, like the tic. No wonder people consider me annoying when I'm hyper and influenced by my semi-insanity. I'm not really crazy, though, I just call it that. How else can I explain this fangirlism-like reaction to life in general? ...Okay, shutting up now.

"Okay, listen, Sesshoumaru-san," I said, dropping all pretense; it was time to get serious. "This metal is a little rusty, so it's weak. Besides that, the links aren't welded shut at the cuffs," I added, having just noticed this. "Shoddy craftsmanship from up close, even if it IS resistant to acids." He was staring at me. Sighing, I tried to explain in terms that he could understand. "Meaning to say, this chain is resistant to your whip-thingy, but it can be easily pulled apart if we pull hard enough."

He rolled his eyes. Holy crap! I didn't know he was capable of that! "Why did you not say that in the first place?"

"I did," I grumbled, standing up to plant my feet securely, grasping the chain with both hands. "Okay, now, on the count of three, we'll both pull. Right?"

He also stood, nodding, and grabbed the chain with his right hand.

"Hey, you'll need to use your left hand, too, Sesshoumaru-san," I said, knitting my eyebrows in consternation. "Otherwise, my pull might unbalance you."

"I do not have a left hand, girl," he admitted, glaring at me darkly.

Crap...Sore past much? "Ehehe...sorry; I didn't realize...gah! Let's just pull! Ready: one, two, three!"

I pulled, he didn't, and the chain broke apart easily with a loud clang. Unfortunately, it was his end that broke, so I landed on my dignity. HARD. "**_CRAP!_** I fell on my ass! You jerk! **_GAH! Cracker jack shit!_**" I wailed as I hopped up, rubbing my aching tailbone. That had hurt..._really _hurt. First my hand, now my ass? What _won't _I hurt today?

"You are accident prone."

"No shit, Sherlock," I groused, glaring at him. I turned to the manacle still on my wrist, worrying the chain to see if I could break it on my own. "Will you kiss it and make it better?" I asked sarcastically, my dignity having taken one too many falls today.

A silvery brow raised. "How, pray tell, would my kissing your rear end make it better?"

It was my turn to stare at him; kids usually always said that to their moms! What kind of kid didn't say that to their mom? Oh...right...this kind. "Nevermind...asshole."

"I find your insults tiring, girl," he said, turning to walk to the entrance of the cave. "We shall now depart. Come."

If I hadn't been hurting at that moment, I would've thought something really perverted at that word. Well, since I _was_, I didn't...until later. Then, I laughed really hard, and loudly. But that was _way _later. So, I followed Sesshoumaru, tugging on the manacle that was still on my wrist; obviously, the golden-eyed demon had bent his off. Lucky bastard.

We walked out from the cave behind the waterfall, and back out into the forest. Of course, we walked quite a bit of ways before the sound of the waterfall faded into the usual forest noises. I wondered if I would see a deer? I've never been up close to one; the closest I've gotten to a deer would be...oh, about ten feet while on a nature hike while at summer camp. Gotta love national parks.

I was getting bored with this easy pace, so I started to hum a tune. It was my favorite children's song, Japanese, of course. It was sung while playing "Oni," an interesting kid's game. You see, when playing Oni, one kid sits in the center of a circle, covering their eyes. That kid's the oni. The rest link hands and dance around in a circle around the oni, chanting out the song. Once the song ends, the oni has to guess who is in back of them, and, if they guess wrong, they have to be oni still. If they guess right, then that kid becomes the oni. I think it'll only be fun if you have a small group where you know everybody's names. But, I still liked the song.

"What are you humming?"

"'Kagome, Kagome,'" I said, grinning at Sesshoumaru. "I've never played that 'Oni'game, but I like the song, don't you?"

He looked at me a moment, his eyes unreadable, before he turned back around, setting off at a quicker pace. "I have never done anything so foolish, girl," he stated tonelessly, and I wondered if Sesshoumaru had had a lonely childhood, much like mine?

Technically, my childhood wasn't that lonely. I had friends to play with, this was true...but none of them ever stayed my friend. The longest amount of time I'd ever kept a particularly friend was exactly three months. I don't know why, but I just...turned people away from me...

"Crap, you made me make myself sad, Sesshoumaru-san!" I whined at his back, pouting.

"I did nothing. It was your own damn fault."

Whoa...he was grouchy...I shouldn't harass him right now; he really might want to cut off my head. I liked my head. I wanted to keep my head. I was kind of...attached to it.

But, something made me stop. I felt another presence nearby, and it felt very much like that horde of demons Sesshoumaru had defeated a while back. Glancing behind us, I paled, but you couldn't see it beyond the light dimming. There were literally _hundreds _of demons rushing in a mass cloud of darkness overhead.

"Uhhh, Sesshoumaru-san," I called, shakily pointing skywards. I didn't need to look at him to know he would probably be cursing whichever god had done this seven ways to hell. I know I would. 'Cause, you know what? Life's sucking at the moment. _Really _sucking. Badly.

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

**Post Scriptum Author's Note:** Whoo! I've got over 300 hits on WHAV! Isn't that wonderful? Yay me! -claps- In any case, thanks again to my wonderful reviewers, especially to Melancholie. Boy, you're kinda like a beta reader, ya know? _Any_ways...this may give the plot away a little, but Adele is _not _a reincarnation, nor is she an incarnation. Sorry to disappoint, but she's more of a...future relative of someone. It's giving a little bit away, but oh well. Gotta love her mysterious past. Also, Adele's dad will be mentioned more and more as we go on, because he's very plot convenient for what I've been planning. -smilesmile-  
So, yea, here's a little spoiler warning: Adele is gonna get a trial separation from Sesshoumaru for a while after a battle. -happy grin- I don't usually do that sort of stuff, but everyone's reviews have made me really happy! A happy BGF-chan is a faster writer, remember that!  
On a sidenote...for not being your native tongue, you write English pretty good, Melancholie, even if it had mistakes to begin with. And to read it! Wow! I hope I can one day be as good at French as you are at English. -grins-  
Much love, my reviewers! My future chapters will be dedicated to the 2+ review readers of WHAV! Nightie-night!  
Also, I didn't have to do an all-nighter to write this after all! Go me! Wait...shouldn't I continue on with chapter nine? Whoa...I just realized that this is the eighth chapter. -eyes widen- That means I'm two chapters away from having double-digit chapters... Wow. I've gotta say, this is actually the longest story I've written...okay, it's not; I wrote a 50+ page story once, but a virus ate it. Along with destroying the only laptop I've ever _had_! -curses not meant for innocent eyes- Anyways...I think a celebration should be in order for the tenth chapter, once I type it up. Maybe a one-shot...or a side story...or maybe just a peek into Adele's past. I don't know. You guys vote on it, okay? Or...give me ideas...whichever floats your boat. Until next time, then. Ja ne! 


	9. IX

**With Honey and Venom  
**"What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Brightened the sun to me,  
Lightened the skies;  
Made there be one to me,  
One only sun to me Not in the skies.

What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Darkened the sun to me,  
Blackened the skies;  
Made there be none to me,  
Nor star nor sun to me,  
Only black skies."

-"Et Melle Et Felle," _Anonymous_

_What prompts people to fall in love? Is there truly such an emotion so vivid as to allow two different people to come together and care for one another so deeply as to be monogamous?_

_In my experience, there is no such thing; lust is the only factor in any relationship, and it depends solely on the strength of it to determine whether the two are monogamous or not. So far, there has never been a monogamous couple. The man will stray eventually, seeking out other bed-partners._

_Love has never existed in any relationship._

* * *

IX...Harsh Memories Beget Tears of Sorrow

* * *

As Sesshoumaru and I stood there beneath the vast cloud of darkness and demons, I felt oddly at peace. Maybe it was the surety that this would be the end, or perhaps it was the fact that I was probably going to die here alongside Sesshoumaru? Wait...why does that make me happy? He's an ass! And what's the deal with me feeling okay with dying here, unfulfilled? Dammit, I wasn't going to die without a fight! Not now!

I gripped the chain still attached to the manacle I wore, my teeth gritting in frustration. I'd taken so much shit in my life, and I was going down like this? Oh, hell no!

"Onee-chan! Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rin , Jaken, and Ah-Un rushing up to us, opposite the cloud of demons. How had they found us? Well, that would be saved for later, when we weren't _dead_.

"You have brought my sword?" Demanded Sesshoumaru, not even daring to turn from the demons.

"Y-Yes, my lord!" Jaken piped, clutching the sword that was at least twice his size.

I took a moment to study the sword, a tad surprised. I'd known that those in feudal Japan didn't necessarily use a katana, but it was still a little amazing to see a double-edged sword in this area of the world. Weird, I know, but I did tend to associate one type of weapon with a country. England had pistols, Arabia had scimitars, and Japan had the katana. Just my view of the world, I guess.

"Good," Sesshoumaru was saying, taking the double-edged sword by the grip, and turned fully to face the advancing demons. "Jaken, defend Rin." With those words, Sesshoumaru rushed at the demons, who had made a clearing with their landing.

Had he just left me behind? The sudden tightening of the collar confirmed it, and I rushed after him, gripping the chain in my hand so hard that it hurt, even with the nice bruise that was steadily rising. I wasn't going to idly stand by and watch Sesshoumaru maul these demons; there were too many this time!

I entered the fray mere seconds after the golden-eyed demon, swinging the metal chain in powerful arcs, barely dodging the blows that would have severed my head from my body, or various body parts. I may not know a lot of fighting techniques, but my strength is my strong point, particularly my legs.

"Hehe, you'll die here, wench!" A creepy kappa cackled at me, his hands wriggling in excitement.

"As if, ya bugger!" I grinned toothily, kicking him in the stomach with all the force I had, which was quite a lot. After all, I could leg press half a ton with no problem; with all the weight-training I've done, I can pack quite a kick, or even a punch! Even if I haven't done any serious weight-lifting in years, most of my muscles are still there.

So, because of the strength behind my kick, the kappa flew back a few yards, crashing into an oni, who in turn stumbled into another oni, and he started a chain reaction. Good for me!

But the battle had just begun.

At least half an hour had passed, and we were all still fighting. Sesshoumaru and I had both taken a few hits (actually, I had taken more than him), and I was beginning to tire. When weight-training, you never really pay attention to the endurance. Endurance was my weak point in fighting, I guess, but that didn't stop me from taking down my fair share of demons.

However, there were just too damn many. They'd driven us back, back towards Jaken and Rin. Sesshoumaru was now defending the two, while I was being backed towards a break in the tree line. I don't know where it led, but it did not bode well.

"Don't let the wench escape," a few of the demons growled at each other, advancing upon me. "Master Naraku will reward us for her capture."

That name again...it send shivers down my spine, and I stumbled as a blow caught my square in the stomach, because I'd lost my concentration. I was hurtled backwards through the tree line, and I moved my body, most painfully, forward so that my feet caught the ground, slowing my momentum. I stopped and fell forward, catching myself with my right hand, my left curled around my stomach. Bile and blood danced at the back of my throat, but I swallowed them back down, shuddering at the biting taste. Internal damage was almost certainly there, but I wouldn't give up...I wouldn't...

I'm tired of feeling scared.

But, I was now cornered atop the cliff that was located beyond the tree line, which overlooked a deep ravine; Sesshoumaru was still fighting to protect Rin. The demon that had hit me advanced one step, two, three, closing in on me, while I had nowhere to go...but down, down, down into the waters below. I'd lost the rusty chain sometime in the fray, the manacle having been torn from my bruised wrist, and the demon had a very pointy weapon pointed at my chest. For a second, I almost thought I'd wake from this obvious nightmare, safe and warm in my own bed, cuddling my plushie, Bartholomew.

But the demon was real. Everything was real, including the wounds that were pulsing angrily, letting my life's blood escape sluggishly. I was doomed, utterly doomed. Even if Sesshoumaru wanted to save me right then, he wouldn't reach me in time. Death was breathing down my neck, and I felt...I felt...

_Angry._

All the anger and rage I'd suppressed over the years was at the boiling point; all this, this was just too much! I was mad that these..._demons _would try and kill me, when I'd done nothing. I was angered that this Naraku person wanted my body, dead or alive. I was pissed that Sesshoumaru didn't care enough to try and save me.

Things blurred a bit then, but I could feel the rage pounding in what little blood I had left. The rage, so pure and fiercely blazing, filled every pore of my soul, drowning out the static, the warmth, the cold. Every single fiber of my being was drenched in rage, and then I felt my hands rip through some type of fabric...warm fabric, that was wet with something.

I knew I was wild-eyed then, as I turned toward a shout near my left. Golden eyes, filled with some un-named emotion, looked into mine, and I felt a quiver somewhere in the recesses of my soul, a miniscule small part that had escaped the torrent of my pent-up rage.

However, I felt the onslaught of an attack before I could dodge it, and my breath was taken away as a sharp, piercing pain enveloped my throat. What...what had happened?

Before I knew it, I was stumbling backwards, clutching my throat as I gasped, staring wide-eyed at the hand that came away drenched in ruby red blood. My blood. The thought of my blood being spilt made me dizzy, and I fell backwards. Down, down, down I went, mind blank with the realization that I was hurt, had probably hurt someone else.

Guilt enveloped my soul as the water enveloped my body, and I blacked out.

_A drum beats in the darkness..._

My dreams were once again filled with the nightmares of my youth, and I felt the heartache as I lived each very real moment. All that I had lived through...the loneliness, the hatred, the bullying... Every bad part of my childhood was now advanced upon me in terrifying proportions. The bullies of my youth were transformed into demons, and the comforting grace of my parents was nowhere to be found.

Tears slid down my cheeks as I ran from the demons hunting me, and I called out for someone, anyone, to save me. No one answered. Why wouldn't anyone answer?

_"You are different from us."_

"No! I'm not! I'm like you, just a normal kid!"

_"You are different."_

"No!" I cried, gripping my hair and tugging painfully, wanting to end this nightmare. "I'm normal! _Normal!_"

_"Different."_

"No!"

_"Different!"_

"_Noo!_"

_"Why do you run?"_

I looked up, tears filling my eyes. Golden eyes stared down at my huddled form, and I stood up with a silly, happy smile on my face. "Sesshoumaru! You've come to help me?"

_"Why do you run?"_ He repeated, his face stoic and emotionless.

"What...what do you mean? I'm not running!" I looked at him, confused, having forgotten about the demons that had chased me before.

_"You run from the things you fear most. You run from closeness; you run from intimacy with another living soul..."_

"Wha...? What...what do you mean?" I asked, shivering as the air suddenly turned cold. "I've never run from those things! Closeness with another person: that's what I've always longed for all my life! Why would I run from them? Tell me, dammit!"

_"I cannot tell you what you already know..."_ His voice faded into the background, and his golden gaze went with his words.

"Wait! Sesshoumaru! Come back," I wailed, chasing after his disappearing image. Why was he always running from me? Did I...did he hate me because I was different?

**"You will always be different, girl,"** an insidious voice whispered behind me. I whirled around, eyes widening at the dark shadow. It was pitch black in this place, yet this shadow was darker than the surrounding blackness. **"No one will ever like you, because you will always be different from everyone. They will mock you, ridicule you, punish you for being different..."**

"Shut..._ Shut up!_"I screamed at the shadow, clenching my fists so hard that my nails drew blood. "I'll find someone that doesn't mind me being different! I swear I will!"

**"You will not...you will never find anyone; not then, not now, not _ever_."**

Unbidden, the tears began their trail down my cheeks anew, and I stared into the red pits of darkness that were the shadow's eyes. "You don't...you can't know...my fate is what I make of it...I'll find someone to love me!"

**"You cannot outrun your destiny forever,"** the shadow whispered, tendrils of it's darkness caressing my arms.

"Gah!" The tendrils of darkness had suddenly slashed at my back, and now it throbbed painfully, too painfully. What...? It felt like the slash had gone all over, yet left a few patches unscathed. It had a definite shape, but I couldn't tell. "What...what did you do to me?"

**"It is the mark of your destiny, Winifred... It is your destiny to bear this mark, and fulfill it's meaning..."**

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

**Post Scriptum Author's Note:** Alright. That's the end of the ninth chapter; how did you like it? The battle scene ended a little short, so I added that dream in at the end. -sweatdrop- Did it fit? Anyways, next chapter will reveal some of Adele's past, including what really happened with her old boyfriend, David.  
So, yea, anyways... Yay me! 400 hits and counting! Isn't that just great? -happy smile- That means that my story IS getting read, and that's what's really important, neh? -dances- What makes me happiest is not only reviews for my story, but also WHAV getting read. -smilesmile-  
In any case, cookies to whoever guesses who that dark shadow was! -sweatdrop- As if that'll be hard.  
On a side note...this particular chapter didn't take me as long as most of them did, but it most definitely took a lot more time than last chapter. I guess it's because for this one, I actually had to think of what to happen to connect two scenes together as one. Oh well. -bows and smiles- Thanks for reading chapter nine of With Honey and Venom! Until next time, ja ne! 


	10. X

**With Honey and Venom  
**"What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Brightened the sun to me,  
Lightened the skies;  
Made there be one to me,  
One only sun to me Not in the skies.

What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Darkened the sun to me,  
Blackened the skies;  
Made there be none to me,  
Nor star nor sun to me,  
Only black skies."

-"Et Melle Et Felle," _Anonymous_

_What prompts people to fall in love? Is there truly such an emotion so vivid as to allow two different people to come together and care for one another so deeply as to be monogamous?_

_In my experience, there is no such thing; lust is the only factor in any relationship, and it depends solely on the strength of it to determine whether the two are monogamous or not. So far, there has never been a monogamous couple. The man will stray eventually, seeking out other bed-partners._

_Love has never existed in any relationship._

* * *

X...A Brief Interlude

* * *

When I was really little, my parents had just moved to a new city. I didn't know anyone at school, and nobody seemed to like me, all because I was the new girl. In fact, the teachers didn't even seem to care. Loneliness was my only companion at that time, and I silently cried myself to sleep each night, ignoring the worried looks Mommy and Daddy gave me. 

By the end of the first month of this new school and city, the cold shoulder-ing had stopped, only to be replaced by bullying. The other kids stole my lunch, claimed my art projects for themselves, and pushed me around on the playground. I dreaded going to school each day, but I dared not try to skip it; Mommy always picked me up after school each day, and dropped me off: she would know if I didn't go. Playing sick wouldn't help: I rarely, if ever, got sick.

There was no consolation for me; I felt that I would disappoint my parents if I didn't stick it out, so I never told them of the bullying, and the constant loneliness.

One day, though, the bullies in my class had cornered me during recess. Instead of their usual pushing, they took to tearing at my hair and clothes, the ones in the back making sure to throw rocks at me. It was so painful, much more so than the other times they'd tried to hurt me. It was so bad, in fact, that I started to cry. I asked them, "Why do you all hate me so much?"

Their reply was simple: "Because you're different."

I went home crying that day, hating the fact that the teachers had seen my ripped clothing, the bruises, the cuts, and hadn't done a single thing. My parents were so appalled, they threatened to sue the entire school, and the kids' parents, for what they'd done. However, I'd stopped them, saying that it would only make matters worse. I don't know if it would have, but I regret saving their asses.

But, from that day on, I compared myself to others, wondering: why I was different? I may have had dark golden hair, and bright blue eyes, but was that so rare? There were at least two other blue-eyed blondes at my school, so why was I singled out? To this day, I wonder why they disliked me so much.

Luckily, by the end of the month, my parents had decided I'd suffered enough; they applied for a transfer, and we all moved back to our old city. Things were a lot better there, even if I had to play alone a lot of the time. At least then I wasn't bullied, or hurt.

But, those days in that city, where everybody hated me for being 'different'...they still haunt me, even now, and are what my nightmares are made of.

_A drum beats in the darkness..._

The last time I saw my father was on my seventh birthday, two years after the traumatic days in that city. I know it might sound cheesy, or clichéd, but the day had been bright and sunny compared to the darkness that was to follow.

I woke up that morning excited, because not only was I turning seven, but my father was also going to take me to the community swimming pool! Well, it was to teach me how to swim, but I could barely contain my excitement as I slipped into my green swimsuit with a fish motif.

"Ready to go, pumpkin?" My father called through my door, peeking his head through the crack, grinning down at me from his imposing height. He was tall, at least from my height as a child. However, later on in life, my mother admitted that I grew to be much taller than my father.

"Kyaa, Daddy! Don't look on me while I'm getting dressed!" I'd pouted, whapping my hand at his face. "That's per...per...purvted!" I was little, but I knew a few complicated words...just not how to pronounce them correctly.

He chuckled, but retreated to a safe distance, closing the door after him.

Quickly, I finished getting ready, grabbing the backpack I'd gotten ready the night before. It contained my floaties, flippers, swim mask, and a towel to dry off with. After grabbing my backpack, I threw open my door, and trotted out into the hallway, heading for the kitchen.

"Must you take her to the pool, Katsumori?" Came the voice of my mother, whining as usual. "I know it's her birthday and all, but I haven't had any alone time with you since she was born."

"Diana," my father's voice admonished. "She's our child. These past few years, you're starting to act like she isn't. You are a mother, Diana; you can't ever stop being one, just as I cannot stop being her father."

"But...you've been acting like she's more important than me, lately!"

With a child's innocence, I blamed myself for my parents' argument, but I did not enter the kitchen, instead standing there stupidly, listening to the argument.

"Diana! Calm down! You're acting like a child!"

"_How can I be calm_ when the man I love is more interested in our _daughter_ than _**me**_?"

Even then, I knew my mother was a self-centered woman, but she really had loved my father desperately, probably to the point she would go to great lengths in order to keep him. But, at that moment, I hadn't wanted to make them fight anymore. So, I'd trotted into the kitchen, trying to look like a happy little kid.

"I'm ready to go to the pool, Daddy!"

My parents turned to look at me, both looking slightly guilty. They probably knew I'd been listening to them argue. However, they quickly masked their guilt, instead bending down and smiling at me. "Happy birthday, Winnie!" They chimed in unison, each kissing me on my cheeks. I giggled, glad that they had stopped fighting.

"Anyways, Diana, we'll be back in a few hours, hmm?" My father said, hoisting my then-tiny body into his arms. "Hold down the fort, okay?" He grinned at her, always the lady charmer.

"Of course, dear," my mother sighed dreamily; she'd always loved the way my father smiled.

We left the house quickly and quietly, jogging down the three blocks that led to the community swimming pool. When we arrived, there were already a bunch of other kids with their parents there. Most of the kids I didn't know; some went to my school, but no one knew me. So, it was kind of safe to mess up around these kids, or so I thought.

Within the first fifteen minutes of playing in the kiddy pool, a group of snotty girls had singled me out for teasing. They kept snapping the straps on my bathing suit, calling me ugly names, and remarking how I would never have lovely full breasts like they did. Compared to me now, their breasts were tiny, only A-cups. The girls were a few years older than me back then, and not that developed for their ages. Of course, I didn't know that, then.

But I didn't want to go whining to my father about the mean girls. We'd already had some bad episodes, from two years ago in that city, so I didn't want to unnecessarily make my father panic.

However, the girls made the dumbest mistake of their lives: they dragged me toward the deep end of the pool and pushed me in. Without my floaties, or any inner-tubing to keep me afloat.

Since I hadn't really learned how to swim without my floaties yet, I floundered in the water, desperately trying to stay afloat. Chlorinated water kept gurgling down my throat instead of air, and I was sinking rapidly. Tears of terror were washed away with the pool water, and I despaired of taking a breath of nothing but air ever again. Just as I despaired, though, warm arms encircled my waist, pulling me up through the layers of water and into the precious oxygen-filled air.

"What were you brats thinking?" I heard my father yell at the bratty girls. "You could have gotten my baby girl killed! You would've let her drown, and then what would have happened, huh? You would've been arrested for murder!"

Coughing out the water I'd managed to swallow, I looked at my father's back with teary eyes. Something seemed to glow on his naked back, a large strange design that look like a raised scar. It seemed to pulse with my father's fury, and I gingerly reached a small hand out to his back. "Are you okay, Daddy?" I'd managed to say through the coughing, worry for my own safety drowned in the worry of my father's well-being.

Pausing in his terrifying tirade against the snotty preteens, my father looked down at me with a questioning look in his eyes. Again, I tried to ask, "Are you okay, Daddy? You've got an owie on your back." I watched his sky blue eyes widen in realization. He slowly backed away from me, panic flooding his features. "Daddy?" I asked, fearing the worst.

"Ah...my little cherry blossom, will you wait for me by the candy counter?" He said, momentarily masking his panic with a warm smile. "Daddy's got to do something very important, so wait for me, okay? I promise I'll get you an ice cream cone if you're a good girl and wait for me."

Still coughing somewhat from almost drowning, I nodded at him, and trotted off, happily thinking of what kind of ice cream to ask for. But, as I waited hour upon hour for my father to return, my child mind realized that my father...wouldn't be coming back. Ever again.

The life guard on duty wound up calling my mother when the pool started to close. In a panic to discover the whereabouts of my missing father, my mother had shaken me violently, to the point that I probably had gotten whiplash. But my father was never found. It was as if he'd never existed. For all the world knew, Katsumori Ichigo had never existed.

_A drum beats in the darkness..._

To this day, I loathe recalling my childhood. Most of the time, I can understand why a lot of people accuse me of being childish: I'd never really had that much of a childhood. After my father left, I also don't really like celebrating my birthday, since it brings back all those bad memories.

Why'm I thinking about them now? When I'd left for Japan, my birthday had been several days away; I'd been planning to work too hard let the vicious memories overcome me. I think it's ingrained in my psyche to reflect on my rotten childhood on my birthday, even if I'm unconscious, though... Well, I guess it's a happy birthday to me...

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

**Post Scriptum Author's Note: **To my beloved reviewers! I have finally returned after a long time without updating! I'm _sooo_ sorry! -cries- I had to clean my room. -sweatdrop- In any case, I'll probably be updating again soon after this chapter, since I have the next ten chapters planned out. -pathetic grin- Let's just say things are about to get interesting for Adele.  
Anyways, I'm liking the way the story is playing out so far. -happy grin- I think you guys will love/hate the 20th chapter when it comes for that time. -sweatdrop- But, as always, I have the secret fear that Adele might turn into a Mary-Sue. -hates Mary-Sues with a vengeance- So, warn me if she starts getting too perfect, okies? Until next chapter then, ja ne! 


	11. XI

**With Honey and Venom**  
"What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Brightened the sun to me,  
Lightened the skies;  
Made there be one to me,  
One only sun to me Not in the skies.

What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Darkened the sun to me,  
Blackened the skies;  
Made there be none to me,  
Nor star nor sun to me,  
Only black skies."

-"Et Melle Et Felle," _Anonymous_

_What prompts people to fall in love? Is there truly such an emotion so vivid as to allow two different people to come together and care for one another so deeply as to be monogamous?_

_In my experience, there is no such thing; lust is the only factor in any relationship, and it depends solely on the strength of it to determine whether the two are monogamous or not. So far, there has never been a monogamous couple. The man will stray eventually, seeking out other bed-partners._

_Love has never existed in any relationship._

* * *

XI...Recovery

* * *

After a long swim in a seemingly neverending ocean of darkness, I awoke to the soft glow of a banked fire. At first, I thought it was another one of those weird dreams I had sometimes, but no...this one _hurt_.

"_Yeowwwwww!_" I wailed, writhing with the pain. Oh, man, I felt like crap...constipated crap warmed over dozens of times... It felt like I'd gotten tossed around a good while by thugs...which I hope wasn't the case.

"You will feel better if you do not move so much," came the soft voice of a woman from beside me. I looked up with watery eyes into the face of a brown-eyed woman that had known the harshness of life, and then some. It wouldn't surprise me, being this far back in the past.

"Uhhh," I said intelligently, but her soft words had quieted me enough to follow her directions. And, miraculously enough, the pain ebbed away. "Thanks... I guess?"

She smiled, though it seemed a tad strained, as if she didn't get a chance to smile that often, and was always stern. "You are lucky that I was passing this village when the fisherman brought you out of the water," she was saying, fiddling with something out of my line of vision. "It would have been likely you would have died if I had not seen to you quickly."

I blinked, then frowned heavily as I realized that the dream about the battle was no dream. I _had _fallen over a cliff...but why could I only see golden eyes instead of blue skies? Wait...crap! Desperately, I grasped at my throat, searching frantically for the sole object that linked me to the silver-haired, golden-eyed demon.

It was gone.

"Are you missing something?" The woman asked of me, but I could only shake my head miserably, feeling fresh tears come to my eyes.

Why was I crying? I should be happy that I'd lost the collar; I could speak English freely, and not have to worry about being choked half to death whenever I went against an 'order.' But, if I didn't have the collar...I wouldn't be able to see Rin, or Jaken, ever again... Over the past days I'd spent with them, I'd grown found of the little girl, and even the quick-tempered toad demon had grown on me. They were the first friends I'd had in a long time, not since David...

Thinking of David brought the tears faster, and I turned my head away from the woman, not wanting her to see me looking so weak. I hadn't cried so much in a long time, not since David.

Why was I thinking of David now, of all times? I'd had plenty of opportunities to reflect on my mistakes with the guy, but I hadn't really thought of him. He was my first...and last...love... For some reason, he'd made me hope for true love, only for that fragile hope to be dashed into oblivion, as it had done so when my father had left.

"It is alright to cry in times of pain, young one," the woman said, laying a cold hand on the side of my face, trying to comfort me. "The trauma of whatever happened to have caused you to be washed down the river... I understand if you feel the need to cry."

I looked back at her; she was the epitome of ethereal beauty and gentleness. By her garb, I took her to be a priestess, maybe one with a gift for medicine. Such perfection...and here I was, weak, half-dead, and taller than most men. I felt like an ugly worm next to a beautiful butterfly.

"Ne, it's not because of physical pain," I found myself telling her, wishing to taint that sad perfection. For all I know, she'd had a loving father who doted on her, was proud of her... I gulped down my tears, hardening my heart against the sadness and pain of my past. I shouldn't be so cruel to someone who'd helped me; life was hard enough without having sorrow weigh on your soul. 'Dammit, Adele, stop being a bitch!' I growled to myself in my mind, but said cheerfully outwardly, "But, nevermind that. How soon will I be able to move about?"

She smiled, warmer this time, not knowing of my inner struggle to keep from being bitchy. "You should be able to be up and about in four to five days, if your rate of healing continues as is."

"Really?" I queried, relieved to here that. I'm not the kind of person to lay about in bed for long periods of time, _especially _if I'm hurt. One time, I'd broken my collarbone, but I'd started moving around three days after the doctor told me to rest for three weeks. Hehe, what can I say? I get bored easily if I can't move around. "That's good to hear...which reminds me..." I was embarrassed to even say this in front of the woman...but it should kinda take precedence over my other injuries.

She tilted her head, waiting for me to continue.

Well, it's not like I had much dignity to begin with, so I just sucked in my embarrassment and asked, "Do you have any cloths for...ya know..._monthlies_." Yup; the cramps in my stomach confirmed my suspicions, if not the sticky mess at my nether regions. I was always a heavy bleeder...unfortunately.

But the woman found this a bit funny, as her tinkling laughter echoed the small hut in which I lay. A moment later, I joined in with my own husky laugh, glad someone found the humour in my situation.

"Of course, of course," said the priestess, wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes. "My apologies, miss. You are right, of course, to assume that this should take precedence now. Seeing as how terrible your injuries were before, to lose any more blood now would be dangerous." She turned away, standing carefully and headed toward the door, lifting the mat cautiously. "I will return in a few minutes; just rest."

I nodded my thanks, and settled back into a comfortable position, trying to ignore the pain of my wrapped injuries...hold on... Crap, I need to learn to be more aware of myself, instead of my surroundings. How could I have _not _noticed that I had not even a stitch of clothing on? I was lucky to have so many injuries, because the heavy bandaging helped to save my swiftly dwindling dignity.

I'll ask the priestess just what were the extent of my injuries when she returned; in the meantime, there was a dream that was calling my name. Yawning, I closed my eyes and slipped into the comfortable darkness of the dream world, where there existed no pain, or suffering.

_A drum beats in the darkness..._

It was only a few days later did I learn that my old clothes had been damaged beyond repair. This included my own priestess robes and the clothes I'd worn beneath. Miraculously, and for this I was very grateful, my underwear had survived unharmed. _Good_. I don't care if this was the past: I'd never give up my bra and panties!

But, thankfully, one of the village women had given me an old kimono they'd worn in their youth, along with a cloth headwrap. The cloth was uncomfortable against my unprotected skin, but I thanked her nonetheless. Of course, I had to ask her how to wrap both properly around my body, to which the other women around me had laughed. They weren't mean about it, though, just amused, and they helped me anyways.

Since I was so grateful, I helped them in the rice fields when the priestess said I was healed enough to move around without fear of opening my wounds. The work was dirty and back-breaking, but at the end of the day I felt very accomplished. After living so long in a country where we didn't have to grow our own food, or hunt it, it felt kinda wondrous to learn that I _was _capable of fending for myself, after a fashion.

But, the priestess that had helped heal me had left by the time I'd returned later that evening on the first day. Some of her other patients told me that she was a wandering priestess, and a powerful one at that. I could tell; with that interesting sixth sense, I'd felt her warm, guiding...aura, I think it was. Whereas as demons generally had an cold, evil, death-bringing "aura," this priestess had a warm, guiding aura that was a balm to the soul.

Gag me with a spoon.

Okay, I was jealous of her calm gentleness and beauty, but who wouldn't? She was almost perfect; that just served to annoy the hell outta me.

Oh well; she continued her journey, and I continued helping the villagers who had so graciously taken me in. Several days passed, and I integrated into their small village quite well. Before long, it'd felt like I'd always lived in that quiet, peaceful town.

Until word came of a marauding demon coming this way, that is. That's when the tranquility I'd found shattered.

"What'll we do?" The villagers were panicking, gathered in the middle of the rice fields, trying to decide what to do.

I stood at the edge of the crowd, at least a head taller than everyone gathered there. However, being a common sight these days, they didn't notice me at first.

"We can't run away! Where would we go, this late in the planting season?"

The villagers made several good points against evacuating, and I couldn't help but feel somehow responsible for this. So saying, I offered, "Why don't I go see if I can turn the demon another direction?"

All eyes turned to me, and I suddenly felt foolish as my face turned a bright red with embarrassment.

"You'd be killed for sure!" Began the woman who had given me the kimono and headwrap. "We can't let you do that after all the help you've given us with the planting."

Others nodded their agreement, and I felt a warm emotion in my chest. They were so caring... I shook my head at them. "It's the least I could do for what all of _you _have done for me," I said in a sincere tone. "Besides, I don't think I'd die so easily!" Pointedly, I flexed an arm muscle, which had grown a little in the few days I'd been helping them with the rice fields. Of course, their muscles were much stronger than mine, but I still had my kicks.

"No, you shouldn't do that," said an elderly man. "In the short time that you've been with us, you've become like a granddaughter to me; you've become one of us. We can't just let you walk to your death to turn the demon away."

"Hey now, what's this about a demon?"

On the dirt road that led past the village stood two people, a man and woman pair. Could they be travelers? The staff the man carried was like one I'd seen a Buddhist monk carrying, so I guessed he was a monk...but that weird glint in his eye when he spied the village women was a tad disturbing.

"Ah, perhaps you are a traveling monk and a demon slayer?" The village elder asked, stepping away from the crowd to go to the two. "A marauding demon is headed toward our little village; we'd be grateful to you if you would deal with it."

Okay, they would trust a monk and a demon slayer, but not me, a veritable giant? If I wasn't sure my dignity was in the negative percentile by now, it probably would've been insulted.

"Ah, we could, but at a price," the monk said, smiling innocently.

Crap...did they have con artists way back in this time? I hope not...'cause those guys can pretty much be bastards.

"We will provide you with food and entertainment for the night if you would but destroy the demon that threatens our village," the elder smiled, looking like he was getting the better end of the deal. "If need be, we even have room for you to spend the night."

At that last part, he turned to me and waved me over. Wait, he wasn't saying... he meant the hut I'd been using to sleep in? Oh, _hell _no! I'm not gonna share it with some creepy monk, even if his companion looked ready to murder him!

"Adele-san, would you be so kind as to lead the monk and demon slayer to your hut?" The elder asked as I drew near.

Mentally sighing, I nodded. Oh great, what a lovely, _lovely_ day. "This way, please," I said to the two, turning toward the hut the villagers had been letting me use. "It's not much, but it's comfortable enough."

"We would be very greatful, sir," the monk said, smiling.

I paused, twitching. _'Sir'_? "For your info, monk," I glared at him from my imposing height, "I'm a woman."

Okay, seeing his reaction to that was priceless. I mean, didn't the boobs and hips give it away? Hell, even the kimono? Man, this was yet another instance where my height made trouble for all. Crap.

"Don't mind Miroku," the demon slayer said, whacking the monk on the back of the head with her giant...boomerang? That was one effin' huge boomerang. "He's a tad...strange."

"I can tell," I laughed, continuing to lead them to my house. "But you both came at the most opportune time, in any case. Everyone was starting to get scared of the demon, and they wouldn't let me try and turn it away."

"You? But, do you even know how to fight?" She asked, looking skeptical. Okay, this was getting a little rude.

I shrugged. "A little. I can hold my own against demons, though, despite my looks," I said, a tad defensively.

"Ah, but a lovely woman such as you should not endanger herself by fighting demons," the monk said, all of a sudden in front of me, holding my hands in his own. "By the way, would you consider bearing my children?"

I stared at him a moment, the silence tense by the angry aura the demon slayer had about her. Then I burst out laughing. "Honey, you ain't man enough," I chuckled, winking at him. "Besides that, I don't much care for strangers asking me to 'bear their children.'"

I think I scared the monk right then...or maybe it was the demon slayer, because he suddenly backed down, cowering a bit. Oh, boy, this is gonna be 'fun.'

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

**Post Scriptum Author's Note:** Okay, so we're now back to the main story. Unfortunately, I'm sick at the moment, so things might seem a little...weird, in my writing. Sorry about that. (On a sidenote, I'd been feeling like crap for the past few days, so it's not really a surprise to me that I'm sick right now. Damn cold.) Oh, and don't mind the reference to a woman's monthly. It's quite natural and normal, actually. It would've been really weird if I didn't have Adele mention _something _about it. Seriously. Besides, I get the feeling only Mary-Sues don't have periods. -laughs pathetically- Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed the eleventh chapter! I'll try and have the next chapter typed out ASAP. Besides, if I stay sick until Monday or Tuesday, I might get more time to type out these chapters (unless my mom does a gorilla thing and orders me to bed. -laughs.  
But, yea, until next time, ja ne! 


	12. XII

**With Honey and Venom**  
"What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Brightened the sun to me,  
Lightened the skies;  
Made there be one to me,  
One only sun to me Not in the skies.

What hast thou done to me,  
Girl, with the dream in thine eyes?  
Darkened the sun to me,  
Blackened the skies;  
Made there be none to me,  
Nor star nor sun to me,  
Only black skies."

-"Et Melle Et Felle," _Anonymous_

_What prompts people to fall in love? Is there truly such an emotion so vivid as to allow two different people to come together and care for one another so deeply as to be monogamous?_

_In my experience, there is no such thing; lust is the only factor in any relationship, and it depends solely on the strength of it to determine whether the two are monogamous or not. So far, there has never been a monogamous couple. The man will stray eventually, seeking out other bed-partners._

_Love has never existed in any relationship._

* * *

XII...I Will Protect!

* * *

I should feel guilty about this, but I can't help it. The villagers had shown me so much kindness that I couldn't just let _anyone _keep that demon away. I wanted to do it myself. Which is why I snuck away as soon as the monk and demon slayer were asleep. Since I didn't have anything of my own from my time, I only took the clothes on my back. 'Cept for the headwrap. I hate those. Instead of putting my already-short hair up, I preferred it down. Even if it did tend to puff up like an afro if the weather was humid, I liked the way my hair looked down.

Anyway, I hurried away from the village toward the area rumor said that the demon would be. Would it be asleep at this time of the night? I wouldn't know, but I _had _to try. After all, I felt it was my obligation to protect this village.

It was about an hour's walk from the village to where I sensed that demonic presence strongest. Since it was moving closer to where I was, I figured that the demon was actually awake, and aware of my presence. Shit, that means I only had a few minutes to get ready...

_"FOOLISH HUMAN, DO YOU INTEND TO FIGHT ME ON YOUR OWN?"_ The demon's booming voice echoed in the clearing as I stood there, my feet braced with my hands on my hips.

"Of course, you old bag o' bones," I crowed snippishly, sounding fake even to my own ears, and cursing the fact that I couldn't act worth a damn. Hiding emotions are all well and good, but if you can't act like you feel a different emotion, well...let's just say my chances of dying were steadily rising by leaps and bounds. "I'll kill you and take your head as a trophy!" ...I really don't know why the only heroic words I could think of had to do with the old English epics. I mean, this demon sure wasn't a giant troll, and I most definitely wasn't a might Geat prince. Where's a goddamn enchanted sword when you need one?

Instead of being intimidated (as if that would ever happen), the giant-sized demon laughed disgustingly, it's gigantic belly flopping like a wave pool. Gross! Ew, ew, ew! _Nasty!_ This demon is _fat!_

_"AS IF A PUNY HUMAN OF YOUR STATURE COULD EVER HOPE TO DEFEAT ME!"_ He guffawed, his nasty gigantic belly shaking even more with his laughter.

Well, technically, I wasn't as strong as a demon...but I could definitely outwit this one.

"Gotcha!" I called, jumping back to trigger the vine trip wire I'd set up. Being that the forest floor beneath the demon had already been a deep hole, I'd just covered it with a few broken tree limbs, tied a vine to the strongest branch, and guess what it made! Instant traphole.

'Course, I'd neglected the fact that the demon was at least twice as tall as me, and even I could look over the rim of the hole. Pretty much, he was only stuck in it up to his thighs (the rest of him couldn't possibly have fit, anyways: his belly was too huge). But it was enough.

_"CURSE YOU, PUNY HUMAN!"_ The demon raged, wriggling about to climb out of the hole.

"Curse me all you want...but I'll still kick your sorry ass!" I called, rushing forward, aiming a punch at his nasty belly. Just as I was about to deliver the powerful blow, to my immense surprise--and disgust--it opened wide! This demon had a mouth on his belly! "_Ewwwwwwww!_" I squealed, leaping back before the belly-mouth could close in on my fist.

_"HEHEHE...ARE YOU SCARED, HUMAN? I SHALL GIVE YOU THE CHOICE OF BEING EATEN BY MY SMALLER MOUTH, OR MY LARGER MOUTH. YOUR CHOICE...BUT ONLY IF YOU GET ME OUT OF THIS HOLE."_

For a threat, it was pretty solid...but, compared to having to decide which mouth to be eaten by, I'd rather just whack him with a tree branch. Which was what I did.

"You slimy monster!" I screeched at it, whacking it as hard as I could on the head with the branch I'd used as part of the trap. "You're so disgusting! Making me decide how I'm gonna be eaten! Nasty, nasty, _nasty!_"

Yes, I admit it: I have this high aversion to disgustingly large bellies. Especially when they _undulate _with laughter. I mean, it's just so..._wrong _when they move like water-filled balloons. Or maybe that's just one of my insecurities talking (after all, it's 'fashionable' to be anorexic skinny...and I was definitely _not _skinny).

_"DAMN HUMAN!"_

The demon's roar should've warned me. But, as I've come to realize, I really can't keep a cool head in the face of danger. So saying, I let out one long screech...

And promptly fainted.

_A drum beats in the darkness..._

The first thing I did when I came back to consciousness was panic. "Shit, shit, shit! Where am I? Did I get eaten? I wanna go _home!" _I wailed in the damp darkness, half-wanting to cry, and the other half wanting to hurt something.

"Ah! There's someone inside that thing!"

Startled by the muffled voice, I looked about, then realized...I _had _been eaten! Well, I was still in the demon's...large mouth...but I was still gonna get eaten! "Stop jawwing and save me, dammit!" I screeched, daring to pound a fist against what I hope where the teeth.

More muffled voices, the loud roar of the demon, and suddenly there was a bright light! "Are you alright, maiden?" The monk from earlier asked in earnest, grasping my hands as soon as I had stepped out from the slack mouth of the dead demon.

"Uhh..."

"Are you crazy!" The demon slayer nearly screeched at me, worry written all over her face. "You're lucky that Kirara told us you'd gone, or we wouldn't have gotten here in time to save you!"

I blinked, suddenly feeling guilty. 'Course, I had to be an idiot sometimes and start worrying others, especially those who had been kind to me...

"Sango-san, she was only concerned for the well-being of the other villagers!" Miroku the monk said, trying to placate the angered demon slayer. "Don't be so hard on her."

"Uhhmm..."

"But to go as far as to endanger herself and worry all those people who she's grown up with!"

"Actually...my stay here has just been temporary until I've healed enough to leave," I interjected, coughing slightly to garner their attention.

"Huh?" They both turned to look at me. "What do you mean?"

I pointed at my hair, and waved my hand above my head to indicate my height. "I'm not from this country. In fact, my own home is very far away..." I smile wistfully, thinking of the conveniences of the modern age. Oh, how I missed those hot showers I soo took for granted!

"Do you get to your country through a well?" Sango asked me, looking a tad suspicious.

Well? What the...? Could she mean that well that had started this whole crazy adventure? Oh hell...she couldn't mean Bone Eaters' Well, right? "Uhh," cautiously, I thought how to word my reply. "Are you perhaps referring to a strange...well, a strange well known as the Bone Eaters' Well?"

"Ah! She's from the same place that Kagome-chan is from!" Exclaimed the monk, who turned to look at Sango in shock.

Meanwhile, I just looked between the two, wondering who the hell they were talking about. "Uhm..."

"No, that can't be possible! Only Kagome and Inuyasha are capable of traveling back and forth from Kagome's time," Sango said, worrying the decorated fringe on her giant...boomerang.

Wait...time? There were two other people like me?

"You can't deny the possibility, Sango-san--"

Hold on! Backtrack! ...if there were others like me...then that means I have a chance of returning home! Yay! But...why do I feel a twinge in my chest from the thought of finally returning to my own time?

* * *

End Chapter

* * *

**Story Notes:** _(1)_ This paragraph is actually a reference to the epic **_Beowulf_**. Right here, Adele is referring to the fact that, unlike in **_Beowulf_**, she is not a superhuman warrior, the demon isn't a giant troll (Grendel), and there is no supernatural sword made by giants anywhere. The sword, however, is in reference to the fight with Grendel's mother. If you are interested, please read the epic for yourself. It's very interesting. _(2)_ This is an interesting way to say "gossiping" or "talking." I can't remember where I first heard/read it's use, but it has a decidedly southern ring to it, doesn't it?  
**Post Scriptum Author's Note:** So, yea, sorry you guys had to wait so long for me to type up the twelth chapter, despite my insistence that I had it planned out. -sweatdrop- I've just been so tired lately, trying to keep up with my senior year and all... -sighs- But, anyways, thanks once again to all those who've reviewed and read my story! Recently, I've gotten over 1000+ hits on WHAV! I'm so happy that you all like my story enough to read it that many times. -happy smile- I'll continue working hard so that you guys can keep on enjoying Adele's sojourn into feudal Japan! 


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